Sushi Go Starter Kit

Build a bot to play Sushi Go against other players on a networked game server.

Game Rules

Sushi Go is a card-drafting game by Gamewright. Find the rules online or get a copy of the game!

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+ (no external packages needed), or
• Node.js 18+ (no npm dependencies needed)

Run the Demo Bot

# Python — plays the first card every turn
python python/first_card_bot.py <game_id> <your_name>

# Python — priority-based strategy
python python/sushi_go_client.py localhost 7878 <game_id> <your_name>

# JavaScript — priority-based strategy
node javascript/sushi_go_client.js localhost 7878 <game_id> <your_name>

To join a game on someone else's laptop

python first_card_bot.py <ip_address> <port> <game_id> <your_name>

Replace <game_id> with the game ID shown in the web UI or given to you by the tournament organizer.

Running a Test Server

First, load the server image from the LAN:

curl -O https://joes-macbook.tail10906.ts.net/sushi-go-test.tar && docker load < sushi-go-test.tar

or

curl -O http://joes-macbook.local:9090/sushi-go-test.tar && docker load < sushi-go-test.tar

Then start it:

docker run -it -p 7878:7878 -p 8080:8080 sushi-go-test

• Port 7878 — TCP game port (where your bot connects)
• Port 8080 — Web UI for creating games and spectating

Open http://localhost:8080 in a browser, create a game, then run your bot with the game ID.

Building Your Bot

The basic pattern every bot follows:

1. Connect to the server via TCP
2. Send JOIN <game_id> <your_name>
3. Send READY
4. Wait for messages in a loop
5. When you receive HAND, choose a card and send PLAY <index>
6. Repeat until GAME_END

See python/first_card_bot.py for a minimal working example (~30 lines of game logic).

Customizing

The starter clients include a strategy function you can edit:

• Python: choose_card(hand) in sushi_go_client.py
• JavaScript: chooseCard(hand) in sushi_go_client.js

The hand parameter is a list of card names (e.g., ["Tempura", "Salmon Nigiri", "Pudding"]). Return the index of the card you want to play.

Or, write your bot from scratch — all you need is a TCP socket and the protocol below.

Handling Disconnects (Rejoin Tokens)

When your bot joins a game, the server sends back a rejoin token in the WELCOME message:

WELCOME myGame 0 fG6miM0Ge9OnNyUTsARaSyX3ZUW8cqr8
                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                  Save this! It's your lifeline.

If your bot crashes or loses its connection, you can reconnect and send REJOIN <token> instead of JOIN. This restores your session — you keep your seat, your cards, and your score. Other players won't even notice you disconnected.

How to use it

1. Save the token when you receive WELCOME (the 4th field)
2. If you disconnect, open a new TCP connection
3. Send REJOIN <token> instead of JOIN
4. Server responds with REJOINED <game_id> <player_id> — you're back in
5. You'll receive the next HAND message when it's your turn, just like normal

Tips

• Save the token to a file so your bot can read it on restart
• You do not need to send READY again after rejoining
• The token is a random 32-character string unique to your seat in that game
• If the game has already ended, REJOIN will return an error

Example reconnect flow

# First connection
>>> JOIN myGame Alice
<<< WELCOME myGame 0 fG6miM0Ge9OnNyUTsARaSyX3ZUW8cqr8
>>> READY
<<< OK
<<< HAND 0:Tempura 1:Sashimi ...
>>> PLAY 0
<<< OK

# Connection drops...

# New connection
>>> REJOIN fG6miM0Ge9OnNyUTsARaSyX3ZUW8cqr8
<<< REJOINED myGame 0
<<< HAND 0:Dumpling 1:Pudding ...   (game continues)
>>> PLAY 1
<<< OK

Language Guides

• Python Guide
• JavaScript Guide

Protocol Reference

See PROTOCOL.md for the full protocol specification, including:

You Send	Server Sends
JOIN <game_id> <name>	WELCOME <game_id> <id> <token>
READY	OK
PLAY <index>	OK
CHOPSTICKS <i> <j>	OK
REJOIN <token>	REJOINED <game_id> <id>
	HAND 0:Card 1:Card ... (your turn)
	PLAYED ... (turn results)
	ROUND_END ... / GAME_END ...