Here are the rules for "Strander", a 2-player abstract strategy game:

Start the game with all pillars level at the middle height. Opponents stand at opposite ends of the game field on corner "icon" pillars of their choice.

The two "ranks" (two "horizontal" rows of 5 pillars each starting from one opponent's end of the game field) are considered his "territory". The middle "rank" of 5 pillars dividing the two territories is the "neutral zone".

A player can only move onto pillars that are part of his territory, or any of the 5 pillars in the neutral zone. He may not move into opponent territory.

On a given turn, a player may either:

1) Move in any direction to any pillar adjacent to the pillar he is standing on (adjacent = 1 pillar away). This move can involve a jump or a drop.

2) Raise or lower any pillar in opponent territory or the neutral zone, one level up or down. (A player cannot raise/lower pillars in his own territory.)

Here are three restrictions:

1) Even if he stands on a pillar in the neutral zone, a player cannot raise or lower the pillar he is standing on.

2) A player cannot "undo" his opponent's previous move (e.g. lower a pillar the opponent just raised). This is the "Atari" rule from the game Go.

3) Both players cannot occupy the same pillar.

The object of the game is to reduce your opponent's options for movement until he has no means of accessing an adjacent pillar. When a player cannot move his avatar in any direction from the pillar he is standing on, he is considered "stranded", and the game is the opponent's.

If anyone would like this ruleset demonstrated "in person", I'm "Stephen" in-game (KI# 00271364). I'd be happy to make things clearer for you.