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GAME RULES
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AGGRAVATION
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Number of Players: 2 to 6
Equipment: Board and 6 sets of 4 marbles in different colors, 1 die
Objective: To be the first player to move all your pieces from Base to Home.
SETUP
Each player chooses one set of 4 marbles of the same color and places them in the matching color Base row (as in the picture). Each player rolls the die, with the player rolling the highest number going first. Play then passes to the left.
STARTING
Before any marble can begin moving around the board, it must be moved from the Base row and entered into the Start hole (the middle, colored hole directly in front of the Base row). A marble can be started only on a roll of 1 or 6. Only one marble at a time can occupy the Start hole.
MOVING MARBLES
On his turn, a player rolls the die. Once a marble has been started, it is moved clockwise along the gamepath holes the same number of holes as the number rolled. Every hole is counted, whether empty or occupied by an opponent.
Once a player has one or more marbles on the gamepath, a roll of 1 or 6 gives him the option of entering a new marble into the Start hole OR moving an already started marble along the path the same number of holes as the number rolled. Note that when one of a player's marbles is in his Start hole, a new marble cannot be moved into that space.
You are allowed to either jump over or land on an opponent's marble. Jumping over it counts as one on your roll. Landing on the opponent's marble Aggravates it (see ''Getting Aggravated'' below). You cannot jump over or land on one of your own marbles. If you can't move a marble the full count because another one of your marbles is blocking it, then you can't move the blocked marble at all. If you can't move any of your marbles the full die count, your turn ends without any moves.
GETTING AGGRAVATED
If an opponent lands on one of your marbles by exact count, your marble is Aggravated and must be returned immediately to your Base row. The opponent's marble then moves into the space your marble had been occupying. Any marble returned to Base after being Aggravated can only be re-entered by rolling a 1 or a 6, as explained above. Marbles can be aggravated on any space except in their own Base or Home areas. If an opponent's marble is in YOUR Start hole when you roll a 1 or a 6, you can move one of your marbles from Base into Start and Aggravate your opponent's marble (send it back to its Base).
SHORTCUTS
If a marble lands in a Star hole by exact count, on your next turn it can be moved clockwise around the Star holes the same number of holes as the number rolled. Exit the Star spaces onto any path (preferably the one that leads to your own Home area) and continue moving down the path by any number remaining in your die count.
CENTER HOLE SHORTCUT
The hole in the center of the board is a super shortcut. You can move into the Center hole only by exact count on the die. (You can only move into the Center hole from a Star hole by rolling a 1). Once you land on the Center space, the only way to exit is by rolling a 1 on another turn. Exit the Center space onto any Star space (preferably the one closest to your Home area).
Shortcuts are optional. They certainly can shorten the time it takes to move around the board, but can be dangerous as Aggravating is allowed in the Center and Star holes.
GETTING HOME
To get a marble Home, you must move it to any one of the 4 colored spaces in your Home area. This must be done by exact count. Remember that you can't jump over your own marbles, and that you must move the full die count.
WINNING
The first player to move all 4 of his marbles into his Home area wins.
BACKGAMMON
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Complete rules can be found at Backgammon Galore
CHESS, 3-PLAYER
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The pieces move the same as in conventional chess, with some minor exceptions.
When passing through the center of the board, the diagonally moving pieces (bishopsm queens and pawns when capturing) have a choice of path direciton.
For the sake of symmetry, the queen is placed to the left of the king.
If the knight's movement is confusing, remember that they always move to a square of the opposite color.
A player placed in check must get out of check if possible on his turn, but another player may try to help.
If you, in a check situation, put the player to the right in check and the player to your left also checks him, and he cannot move, it is the FIRST check that makes him mate.
After checkmating a player, you remove his king and his remaining pieces become yours. You do NOT get two moves though. You can, for instance, let his pawns reach the last row and promote by putting a piece in a square where the pawn can capture it (a real sacrifice). Obviously, any obtained pieces must not put your king in check.
Another way of explaining the rules:
THE CENTER: If a bishop or queen hit the center by a continuous diagonal movement, they have the choice of continuing in either direction.
PAWNS: The pawns may crown at both of the enemies' back ranks. A pawn at the center may hit three squares. When a pawn crosses the line separating his army's field, it finds itself at one of the enemies' fields, and it will never be able to leave that field, as it moves only forward. En-passant moves are supported. Both enemies may take en-passant, but only as an immediate response. This means that leap moves of pawns are also supported.
(NOTE: The complete rules included with the game contain a board diagram which illustrates examples of the above moves.)
OTHER RULES: Castling, both short and long, are allowed, with the regular restrictions--the king and rook have not yet moved, there is no threat to the castling king, and the space between the king and the rook is clear. You may not desert your king or allow the player after you to check the third player's king. The game ends when a player has no legal move. In this case the winner is the player who checks him--if both his enemies do, then the player which plays before the mated king is the winner.
CHESS TIC TAC TOE
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board with a 4 X 4 grid, 2 sets of 4 chess pieces--1 bishop, 1 knight, 1 rook and 1 pawn for each player.
Objective: To line your pieces up in a row of 4, either vertically, horizontally or diagonallly.
Play begins with an empty board. Players move alternately. On any turn, a player may either: 1) Place a piece on any empty square on the board, or 2) Move a piece that's already been placed. A piece can only be moved after at least three pieces have been placed on the board.
Pieces move as in standard chess, with the exception that a pawn reverses direction once it reaches the edge of the board and can no longer advance. Pieces capture as in standard chess, but a piece captured is returned to its owner for placement back on the board at a later turn.
CHINESE CHECKERS
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Number of Players: 2 to 6
Equipment: Board and 6 sets of 10 marbles in different colors
Objective: To transfer all of one's pieces to the opposite triangle, the first player to do so being the winner.
The board is set up with each player's marbles placed in the triangle of the same color. Each player in turn is allowed to move one of his or her marbles. There are two types of moves--steps and hops. A marble may STEP one square in any direction to a vacant space. Alternatively a marble may HOP over any other piece (whether or not it is the same color) if there is a vacant space immediately beyond it. In one move a marble may make several such hops, provided that each hop is over one marble into a vacant space. Steps and hops may not be combined into one move. There is no capturing and no marbles are removed from the board. Successful play consists of forming ''ladders'', thus providing a series of hops for one's own marbles to take them a good distance across the board in one move--and blocking ladders formed by one's opponents.
CHINESE CHESS
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The board consists of two halves of 8X4 squares which are separated by a space one square wide called the RIVER. Each half of the board contains four squares marked with diagonals. The resulting square of nine points is called the FORTRESS. The pieces are placed on the intersections of lines (rather than in the spaces) and the whole board consists of 9X10 points. The pieces are marked with Chinese characterw on the upper surface and with English abbreviations on the bottom, one army in red, the other in green. Some of the Chinese characters on the red pieces differ from those on the green of the same rank, as if one side were given English titles and the other German.
The GENERAL moves one point vertically or horizontally, but he is confined to the nine points of the fortress.
The MANDARINS move one point diagonally, but they are confined to the nine points of the fortress.
The ELEPHANTS move diagonally across two points, but the intervening point must be unoccupied and they are unable to cross the river into enemy territory.
The other pieces are allowed to move over the entire board.
The HORSEMEN move one point vertically or horizontally followed by a point diagonally; the intervening point must be unoccupied.
The CHARIOTS move any distance vertically or horizontally, but only if the intervening points are unoccupied.
The CANNONS move any distance vertically or horizontally, but they can only capture if they have jumped over some piece on the way to the point which they are attacking. The intervening piece, known as the SCREEN, may be any piece of either side. The cannons cannot, however, jump over more than one piece in a single move.
The PAWNS (foot soldiers) move one point vertically forwards on their own side of the board. In enemy territory they can move one point forwards or sideways, but on reaching the oponent's back line they can only move sideways. There is no promotion.
The OBJECT OF THE GAME is to checkmate or stalemate the opposing General. Perpetual check is prohibited; the move must vary. A General is in check: 1) When he is under attack by any piece, and could have been taken on the following move, if nothing were done to thwart the attack; 2) When the Generals face one another upon the same file with no intervening piece.
When a check is given, there are three possible replies: 1) The attacking piece may be taken and removed from the board; 2) The General may move out of check; 3) The check may be covered. If a horseman is the attacking piece, a man placed on the ANGLE of its move blocks its attack. If a cannon is attacking, either the screen may be removed, as a cannon can only attack over an intervening piece, or a second piece may be interposed which protects the General as a cannon can only jump over one piece at a time. If the check cannot be relieved, the General is defeated and the game is over.
CRIBBAGE
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Number of Players: 2 (standard), 3 or 4
Equipment: Standard pack of 52 cards, cribbage board for scoring
Cribbage is about scoring in the course of play. A game can be played to either 61 or 121 points.
The players cut to decide who deals first, after which the deal alternates. The dealer shuffles, then places the pack in front of his opponent, who cuts it. The dealer then deals five cards face down to each player and places the remainder of the pack face down on the table. On the first deal of the game, the non-dealer immediately pegs three points--''3 for last''--to offset his opponent's advantage of first deal.
Each player discards two cards face down, to form a ''crib'' of four cards. The crib belongs to the dealer and will be used by him later to score points. Thereafter, the dealer will discard cards which should help to form scoring combinations; whereas the non-delaer will discard cards which he thinks will be least useful to the dealer. The remainder of the pack is cut once more by the non-dealer, and the delaer turns up the top card of the lower half. This card is the ''start'' and reamins face up during play. If the start is a jack, the dealer pegs two points--''2 for his heels''.
The play consists of each player in turn laying one of his three cards face up on the table before him and announcing the cumulative total of the cards played so far. This continues until all six cards have been played or until the total face value of the cards played reaches 31. All court cards count 10, aces count as 1, and other cards count as their face value.
A player who plays a card which brings the total to exactly 15 scores 2 points. The total of the cards played may not go over 31--if a player cannot lay down a card without going over this total he says ''Go''. His opponent then continues playing if he can. Whoever plays the last card scores points if he brings the total to exactly 31, otherwise he scores ''1 for last''.
Points are also scored in the course of play for pairs and runs. A player laying down a card of the same rank as the card just played by his opponent scores ''2 for a pair''. Note that although court cards count as 10, they can only be scored as pairs if they are of the same rank--e.g. two kings, but not king and queen. If the first player follows with a third card of the rank he scores 6 for a ''pair royal''. If the second player can then play a fourth card of the same rank--a rare occurrence--he scores 12 for a ''double pair royal''.
A run is a sequence of three or more cards of consecutive rank, which do not have to be of the same suit. Runs count 1 point for each card in the run. The cards do not need to be played in order--for example, if the first player plays a 3 and the second player a 5, the first player might then play a 4 and peg 3 points for a run. The second player could then score 4 points for a run of four by playing either a 2 or a 6.
After the hands have been played in this way we come to the ''show''. Both players gather up their own cards. The non-dealer shows and scores for his hand first. For this purpose, the start, though it is not removed, is considered part of his hand, and he scores for all combinations in the four cards.
Two points are scored for each combination of cards totaling fifteen. The same card may be counted several times in different combinations. Thus a hand of 3, 6, 6, 9 would yield 6 points for fifteens (6-6-3, 6-9, and another 6-9). Points are scored in the same way for pairs and for runs (with scoring similar to that in the play) and for flushes. A player scores 3 points for a flush if the three cards in his hand are of the same suit or 4 points if the start is also of the same suit. Finally, he scores ''1 for his knob'' if his hand contains the jack of the same suit as the start.
The dealer then shows his hand and scores in the same way for any combinations in his three cards together with the start. He then turns over the four cards of his crib. The dealer scores for the crib, again in conjunction with the start, in exactly the same way, except that a flush is scored only if all five cards are of the same suit and is worth 5 points.
The CRIBBAGE BOARD is used for scoring. There are two rows of 30 holes (arranged in groups of 5) plus an end hole for each player, and is designed for games to either 61 or 121 points.
Each player marks his score with two pegs, which are moved up the outer rown and down the inner row to the end hole, according to the number of points scored. When a game is played to 121 points the pegs travel around twice before reaching the end hole.
The first score made by a player is marked by placing one peg that number of holes from the start. His next score is marked by placing his second peg that number of holes in front of his first peg. Subsequent scores are marked by moving the nearmost peg the appropriate number of holes in front of the leading peg. This leap-frogging method provides a check on accuracy.
CRIBBAGE, 3-PLAYER
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The basic game play and scoring is the same as above, with a few exceptions.
Each player is dealt 5 cards and one card is dealt to the Crib. Each player discards one card to the Crib. The player to the left of the dealer cuts the deck for the start and leads first. Play continues clockwise.
When one player calls ''go'', the other two must play in turn as many cards as they are able.
The player to the left of the dealer scores his hand first, then the next player, and finally the dealer's hand and dealer's crib.
FOUR PLAYER GAME
The game is played in partnerships. Partners sit opposite one another. Each player is dealt 5 cards and discards one ot the Crib. The player to the left of the dealer cuts the deck for the start aned plays first. When one player calls ''go'' the others must play in turn. Dealer partnership counts their hands last and they also count the Crib.
FANORONA
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and two sets of 22 marbles
Objective: To capture all your opponent's pieces, or make it impossible for him to move.
The game is set up as in the illustration, with only the middle space empty. Players alternate turns, moving one space only, along the lines shown on the board. Pieces can only move onto empty spaces; no two pieces can occupy the same space. Each move must be a capturing move, if possible. (Captured pieces are removed from the board.) There are two types of capture moves. A single piece or a line of pieces can be captured by moving your piece toward them, so that your piece is next to one of your opponent's pieces--this is called an APPROACH capture. Pieces can also be captured by moving your piece directly away from an opponent's piece that your piece is already standing next to--a WITHDRAWAL capture. All pieces in the unbroken line of capture are taken at once. It is possible to make several captures on one turn, called a relay capture. (Illustrated examples are included in the complete rules provided with the game.) A player may elect to end his turn any time after at least one capture. Also, there are restrictions to relay captures. All capturing must be done by the same piece, and the piece must change direction each time it moves during the relay capture. Also, that piece may not stand on the same spot twice during the sequence. Sometimes it is possible to move a piece in such a way that it could take some pieces by withdrawal and others by approach. In this case, only one of the two caputres can be taken; the player must choose which one. If a capturing move is not possible, then, and only then, a non-capturing move, called a PAIKA move is allowed. You simply move any one piece along a line to an adjacent space. The game ends when a player has lost all his pieces or is unable to move. If neither of these situations is possible, the game is a draw.
FIGHTING SERPENTS or KOLOWIS AWITHLAKNANNAI
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of 23 different colored stones
Objective: To capture all your opponent's pieces
The board is set up as in the picture.
Toss a coin or otherwise decide who goes first, as moving first is considered to be a disadvantage because of the lack of options.
Players take turns moving one of their pieces, which may only move along the lines on the board Each move may be either a capturing or a non-capturing move.
CAPTURING MOVE: Whenever a piece has an opponent's piece adjacent to it and the point immediately beyond the opponent's piece is vacant, a capture can be made. A piece is captured by jumping over it into the vacant point and removing the captured piece from the board (as in checkers). Multiple captures can be made on one turn--if a piece captures an opponent piece and the new position allows it to capture another piece, it may do so immediately (again, as in checkers). The turn ends when the capturing pieces's position is such that it is no longer able to capture any more opponent pieces, or the player decides not to make a capture. (See variant rules below.)
NON-CAPTURING MOVE: A piece is moved along a line to an adjacent point. Multiple non-capturing moves are not allowed.
WINNING: The winner of the game is either: A) the player who captures all of the opponent's pieces, B) the player who has captured the most pieces when it becomes apparent that no more pieces can be taken, or C) the player who renders the other player unable to move.
A draw may occur at any point if it becomes apparent that no more pieces can be captured and both players have the same number of pieces left. Draws are common
VARIANT: R.C. Bell in Board Games from Many Civilizations has proposed some additional rules.
COMPULSORY CAPTURING: A player must capture as many pieces as he or she is able in a move.
If a player notices that the opponent failed to make a possible capture, that player may remove the offending piece from the board before the next move is made.
If more than one capturing situation is available, the player is free to choose which capture or captures to make. If capturing is possible from more than one direction, the player is free to choose in which direction to move. The player is not required to choose the route that results in the most number of captures.
A piece may move only sideways, forward, or diagonally forward, not backwards, similar to checkers. Unlike checkers, a piece that has reached the final opposite row may only move sideways.
FOUR FIELD KONO and TAC TIX
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FOUR FIELD KONO
Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of 8 marbles
Objective: To capture all your opponent's pieces (or prevent him or her from moving)
The board is set up as in the picture with each player's marbles placed in the two rows directly in front of him or her. Players take turns moving. A player can capture an opponent's marble by jumping over one of his or her OWN marbles and landing on the opponent's marble, which is then captured and removed from the board. Capture moves can only be made horizontally or vertically, not diagonally. Only one piece can be captured in a move. If not capturing, a piece can be moved one space horizontally or vertically, not diagonally. A player who cannot make a move or has only one piece left loses.
TAC TIX
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 16 marbles of any or mixed colors
Objective: To force your opponent to remove the last marble.
The board is set up as in the picture, but with the marbles placed randomly in the 16 holes. Players take turns removing from 1 to 4 adjacent marbles--they must be adjacent horizontally or vertically, not diagonally. Color doesn't matter. A player cannot pass a move. The player who removes the last marble loses.
FOX AND GEESE
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Number of Players:2
Equipment: Board and 14 pieces (13 Geese, 1 Fox)
Objective: FOX: to capture all the geese, GEESE: to trap the fox so it cannot move
The most common variation today is played on a board like the one illustrated. One player has thirteen pieces--the Geese--and the other player has one piece--the Fox. At the beginning of the game the pieces are placed on the board as in the illustration, with the fox occupying the central point. The players take turns moving, with the Geese having the first move. Only one piece is moved in a turn. Both Fox and Geese move in the same way--one step in any direction along a line to an adjacent empty point. But the Fox may also capture Geese--if a Goose is on the next point to the Fox and the point immediately beyond is empty, the Fox may jump over the Goose and remove it from the board. The Fox may make several such jumps in one move, capturing a Goose with each jump. The Geese, however, are not allowed to jump over the Fox or over one another. The Geese win the game if--by surrounding it or forcing it into a corner--they block the Fox so that it cannot move. The Fox wins the game if it captures so many Geese that there are not enough of them left to block it.
GO
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board with 19 vertical and horizontal lines, 181 black and 180 white stones.
Object: To end up with the most territory
The rules given here are ''Chinese'' rules. Rules provided with the game contain numerous example diagrams, as well as additional information on handicapping and tactics.
PLAY
The board begins empty. Black goes first. A move consists of placing a stone of your own color on an empty point (a point being where two lines intersect). You can place on any point, including the edges. Once placed, the stones remain in place unless captured. They cannot be moved to other points.
You can move or pass on any of your turns, but, in practice, passing only happens near the end of the game. When both players pass in succession, the game is over.
CAPTURING
Go is a game of ''surround and capture''. A single stone sitting in the middle of an empty board has 4 open points around it, called ''liberties''. Liberties are points connected by lines to the stone (no diagonals). If all four liberties become occupied by opponent pieces, that stone is captured. Captured pieces are removed from the baord and returned to their owner.
Connected groups of stones may also be captured in much the same way as a single stone. That is, if you are able to surround an entire connected group so that none of its stones have any liberties available, then the entire group is captured and removed. A connected group is defined here as stones that ''touch each other'' with no diagonals permitted. Connected groups live or die as a unit; individual stones in a group can never be captured individually.
Board positions may never be repeated. In other words, if you were to take a photograph of the board at some point in the game, at no later time in the game could the board ever look identical to that photograph. Practically speaking, this rule generally translates to mean ''no tag-backs''. Its primary purpose is to prevent endless cycles of capture and recapture of the same pieces.
SCORING
The game is over when both players have passed. A player's score is the amount of ''terriitory'', measured by simply adding the number of empty points he has completely surrounded to the number of points he occupies. Note that a point must be COMPLETELY surrounded by a single player to count as his territory. Points not completely surrounded by a player are simply not counted for either.
KONANE
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of 32 glass stones
Objective: To be the last player to be able to make a move
SET-UP: The board is set up as in the illustration, with the spaces containing alternating colored pieces
DETERMINING WHO PLAYS FIRST: One player picks up one black and one clear stone, hiding one in each fist behind his or her back. Both fists are then presented to the opponent, who chooses one, thereby choosing the color of the pieces he is to play with.
OPENING PLAY: The two pieces are placed back on the board. The player with the black pieces begins by removing EITHER the black stone at the center of the board OR either of the black stones on the corners. The opponent then removes one of his clear pieces that is immediately adjacent to the empty space.
With two empty spaces, the first player jumps one of the clear pieces and removes it. There are only jumping moves--that is, all moves are made by jumping the opponent's pieces with one's own pieces and then removing the jumped pieces. In any move, a player moves only one man.
JUMPING may be made towards or away from the players, or to the right or left. A move may not be diagonal or in more than one direction at a time. Multiple jumps can be made if possible and advantageous, but are not required.
WINNING: As play continues, there are fewer and fewer pieces on the board, and therefore, fewer opportunities to make a jump. When a player finds that he is not able to make a jump on his turn, he loses.
LATRUNCULI
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Note that this game is in the process of reconstruction, so all rules are speculative.
Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of playing pieces consisting of 12 stones and 1 king (or dux) per side
Object: To immobilize your opponent's king
Different sources give different openings to the game. Either 1. The board begins arranged as in the pictture, or 2. The game begins with an empty board. Each player, in turn, places a stone on an empty square until all the stones are on the board. No captures can be made until all stones are on the board.
All pieces may move any number of spaces either horizontally or vertically. Pieces may jump over pieces of either color, landing on the immediate empty space. Jumps are not multiple.
A single stone is captured if it is enclosed on two opposite sides, either horizontally or vertically, and a single stone may be captured by two stones placed across the corner. However, outside walls cannot be used to capture. Multiple stones can be captured at once along a line.
A player may move to a position between two of his opponent's pieces without losing the piece. A piece is removed only when a player moves into position to capture.
If a player moves into position to capture a line of several opposing pieces which includes the king, the king is not taken but the other pieces are.
The king (sometimes called the dux) cannot be captured, but can be immobilized by being surrounded on all four sides, or if it is blocked by an enemy stone so that it cannot move. The first player to immobolize the opponent king wins.
Plays that repeat over and over are prohibited. This is usually regarded as occurring after two series of repeated moves, making a thrid repeating series illegal. If the game stalemates, the player with the most captured enemy stones wins.
In order to avoid later dispute, players must announce when they ''squeeze'' a stone between enemy stones.
MANCALA
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Mancala Board, 48 stones
Objective: Collect the most stones in your mancala (the large bowls on each end)
The game begins with 4 stones in each of the twelve small bowls, none in the mancalas To play, use the General Rules along with one of the additional rules (Egyptian, Ethiopian, or Nigerian)
GENERAL RULES--Each player ''owns'' the mancala to his right and the six bowls directly in front of him. Player 1 starts by scooping all the stones from any one of his own bowls (never starting from a mancala or from a bowl belonging to his opponent.) He then drops one stone into the next bowl to his right, and continues dropping one stone at a time into consecutive bowls counterclockwise until he has no stones left. If he reaches his own mancala, he drops a stone into it, but if he reaches his opponent's mancala, he skips it and continues around the board. When he has dropped all his stones, Player 2 scoops all the stones from his bowl of choice and plays in the same manner. The winner is the player with the most stones in his mancala at the end of the game.
EGYPTIAN RULES--If a player drops the last stone in his hand into his mancala, he goes again. If he drops his last stone into an empty bowl on his side, he takes back that stone and all the stones in his opponent's bowl located directly across from that bowl. The game ends when one player has no stones left in his own bowls (and therefore cannot play). The other player then puts all his remaining stones into his mancala.
ETHIOPIAN RULES--Same as Egyptian, but the players may choose to move either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Players may never start from a bowl with only one stone.
NIGERIAN RULES--a player MUST drop a stone into his opponent's mancala when passing it. When a player drops the last stone from his hand into a bowl on either side that's not empty and does not now (after dropping the stone) contain 4 stones, he picks up all the stones from that bowl and continues. His turn is over when he drops his last stone into: 1) a mancala; 2) an empty bowl; or 3) a bowl that, after dropping his last stone, contains 4 stones. Any time during a move that a bowl contains 4 stones, regardless of who dropped the 4th stone into that bowl, the player owning the bowl puts these stones into his own mancala. In case 3 above, the player puts these stones into his mancala before ending his turn. For example, while Player 1 is dropping stones into bowls on Player 2's side, he drops a stone into a bowl that already has 3 stones, making that bowl contain a total of 4 stones. Player 2 then picks up these 4 stones and puts them in his own mancala. The game ends when one player cannot move because no stones remain in that player's six bowls. The remaining stones on the other player's side are not placed in a mancala, and are not counted toward winning.
MING MANG
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: 17X17 gridded Board; 32 black and 32 white stones
Objective: To either stalemate the opponent, or end up with the most territory
The game begins with the board set up as shown in the Ming Mang picture on the 'Additional Images' page on the Go site. White goes first.
Play is along the points on the lines, not the spaces. A player chooses one of his stones and moves it along a horizontal or vertical line by any number of points, as a rook moves in chess.
A stone or set of stones is captured if it is trapped between two oponent stones along a straight line, horizontally or vertically. Captured stones are removed and replaced with the capturer's stones.
A stone may move between two opponent stones on a straight line without being captured. Stones on the corner cannot be captured.
The above are the traditional rules, but there is a flaw in that it's easy to create situations where a player cannot be stalemated. R. Schmittberger has created additional rules to avoid this:
A player cannot make a move that repeats a previous position. (Ko)
Secured Area: An area is secured if there is no way the opponent can capture any part of it.
A player may pass his turn. If both players pass, the game ends.
A player wins when he stalemates his opponent or when his secured area covers more than 1/2 the board (empty points plus points containing his own stones). Any points not secured by either player are not counted as part of the total area.
MU TORERE
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of 4 counters
Objective: To block one's opponent so that he cannot move
The board consists of an eight-pointed star with a circle in the middle.The eight points are known as the ''kewai'' and the circle in the middle is called the ''putahi''. Each player starts with four counters, placed on four adjacent kewai, as shown in the illustration. Players take turns moving a piece in one of three ways: 1) A piece may be moved from one of the kewai to the putahi, but only if there is one of the opponent's pieces on one (or both) of the kewai on either side of it; 2) A piece may be moved from the putahi to any of the kewai; 3) A piece may be moved from any of the kewai to the next on either side. All of the moves are, of course, subject to the rule that the point being moved to must be unoccupied--only one piece at a time is allowed on each point. The player who succeeds in blocking his opponent so he cannot move is the winner.
NINE MAN MORRIS
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 18 Pawns in two colors
Objective: To capture one's opponent's pawns by lining one's own pawns up in lines of 3
At the start of the game the board is empty and each player has nine pawns. Each player in turn places one of his jpawns on any vacant point on the board. The objective is to get three of one's own pawns in a row along any line, thus forming a ''mill''--and to prevent one's opponent from doing so. Each time a player forms a mill he is able to remove from the board any one of his opponent's pawns that he chooses--but not one which forms part of a mill unless there are none other available. After both players have placed all their pawns on the board they continue playing alternately, now moving one pawn at a time along a line to any adjacent point that is empty in an attempt to form further mills. As before, forming a mill entitles a player to remove one of his opponent's pawns from the board. The game is won when one's opponent is left with only two pawns or when his pawns are blocked so that they cannot be moved.
PACHISI
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Number of Players: 2, 3 or 4
Equipment: Board, 2 dice, 16 pawns (4 each of 4 colors), shaker cup
Objective: To be the first player to move all four pawns from START to HOME
Each player chooses one set of pawns and places them in the starting circle located to the right of the entering space containing the small circle of the same color. Each player then rolls the dice, with the player rolling the highest number going first. Play passes to the left.
ENTERING A PAWN
1. Both dice must be rolled on each turn.
2. A Five must be rolled in order to enter a pawn onto the player's Entering Space (space to the left of the home circle containing small circle of same color as player's pawns). The five may be on one die or a combination of the two dice. If a player does not roll a five, he may not move and his turn ends.
3. As long as he has unentered pawns, a player MUST enter a pawn for every five rolled. If double fives are rolled, he must enter two pawns. If a player has unentered pawns and his entering space is occupied by one of his own pawns, and he rolls a double five, he can only enter one pawn, forfeiting the additional move of 5.
MOVES AFTER A PAWN HAS ENTERED
4. Pawns move around the board in a counterclockwise direction.
5. If a five is rolled on one die, with a different number on the other, then one pawn is entered with the five, and the other number is used to move any entered pawn along the path as many spaces as are on the second die.
6. A player may not have more than two pawns resting on the same space.
7. If a player is unable to use both counts of the dice, the count of one die may be used and the other ignored.
DOUBLES
8. After all of his four pawns have been entered, a player rolling doubles (matching dice) counts the numbers on both the top and bottom (opposite) sides of the dice. This always totals 14. For example, a player rolling double 6, also uses the double 1 on the opposite sides of the dice and may move as follows:
4 pawns (6, 6, 1 and 1)
3 pawns (6, 6 and 2), (12, 1 and 1) or (7, 6 and 1)
2 pawns (7 and 7), (13 and 1) (8 and 6) or (12 and 2)
1 pawn (14)
The entire count of 14 MUST be taken or the turn is forfeited.
Doubles entitle the player to another roll. If the second roll is also doubles, the player takes his count and is entitled to a third roll. If the third roll is again doubles, he must remove his pawn nearest HOME (the center square). This applies to a pawn on the Home path, if there is one, but not a pawn already HOME. That pawn is then returned to its starting circle and re-entered in the usual manner. The last play is lost and the player is not entitled to another roll.
CAPTURING
9. If a player's pawn comes to rest BY EXACT COUNT on a space occupied by an opponent's pawn, the player has captured the opponent's pawn which is then returned to its starting circle and must be re-entered in the usual manner.
10. After a player makes a capture he may continue his pawn the number of spaces matching the count on the other die. For example, a player rolling a 6 and a 2 may use the 6 to land on a space occupied by an opponent's pawn, thus capturing it, and then move his pawn another 2 spaces. Or he may move a different pawn with the 2.
11. When a player makes a capture, he is given a bonus of 20 spaces which must be taken by any ONE of his four pawns, but not divided among them. If the entire 20 spaces cannot be used by one pawn, it is forfeited.
12. A pawn cannot be captured on a safety space--a space on which there is a small circle--except when it rests on the Entering Space of another player. In this case, if a player has an opportunity to enter a pawn, he must do so, capturing the opponent's pawn and gaining 20 spaces.
13. A single pawn resting on a safety may be passed by any other pawn.
BLOCKING
14. When two pawns of the same color rest on the same space (either plain or safety), they form a block which may not be pased by any other pawns, even those of the same color.
15. A block occupying the Entering Space of an opponent prevents the opponent from entering a pawn.
16. A Block may be held by a player as long as he can move another pawn. It must be broken, however, if the full number rolled cannot be completed otherwise.
17. Two pawns (a block) may not be moved any number of spaces together (thus forming a new block on a different space). In breaking a block, the pawns must move forward singly and rest on different spaces at the end of the play.
HOME
18. A pawn enters Home (the central square on the board) via the path of hte same color. Home can only be entered by exact count.
19. For each pawn moved to Home, a bonus of 10 spaces is given to the player. These 10 spaces may be taken by one pawn only, and cannot be divided. If the entire 10 spaces cannot be used by one pawn, it is forfeited.
The first player to move all his pawns Home wins the game.Return to top
PENTE
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Go Board, Black and White Stones
Objective: To create a straight or diagonal line of 5 stones, or to capture 5 pairs of opponent's stones.
Players alternate putting a stone on a vacant point (stones are placed at the points where the lines intersect, not the squares), attempting to create a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) of 5 or more stones of his or her own color, OR to capture 5 pairs of the opponent's stones. Capture is achieved by sandwiching pairs of the opponent's stones between two of your own stones.
PICARIA
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of 3 playing pieces
Objective: To align your pieces in a row of three
Players take turns placing one piece at a time on any vacant point on the board, indicated by the nine large circles. After all six pieces have been placed, players alternate turns moving one piece at a time along any line to the next vacant point. Jumping is not permitted.
Each player is attempting to form a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) with his or her three pieces, the winner being the first player to do so. There are eight possible ways to achieve this. If neither player can get three in a row, a draw is declared
ALTERNATE PLAY
Some players play using all thirteen of the points where the lines intersect. The rules then vary from above in that:
Neither player may place a piece in the center of the board until all six pieces have been placed.
Three in a row can be formed at any place along any of the diagonals as long as there are no spaces between the pieces. Thus, in this version, there are 16 potential ways to make three in a row.
REVERSAL SOLITAIRE
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Number of Players: 1
Equipment: Board and 8 marbles, 4 each of 2 colors
Objective: To move the marbles to the opposite ends of the board
Board is set up as in the illustration, with four marbles of one color in the four right hand holes, and four marbles of the other color in the four left hand holes, with the two center holes empty. The object of the game is to move all the right hand marbles into the four left hand holes, and the left hand marbles into the four right hand holes. Marbles may only be moved by jumping another single marble into an empty hole, or moving one space. Marbles may only be moved forward toward the opposite holes, not backward.
SOLITAIRE
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Number of Players: 1
Equipment: Board and 32 marbles
Objective: To remove all marbles but one left in the center hole
Board is set up as in the illustration, with all holes except the center occupied by a marble. One marble at a time is removed by jumping over another marble into a vacant hole, removing the jumped over marble. The game ends when no jumps are possible. A winning game is when the only marble left occupies the center hole.
SURAKARTA, or ROUNDABOUTS
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of 12 marbles
Objective: To capture all of one's opponent's marbles.
Board is set up as in the illustration. Players decide who moves first, and then take turns alternately to either move or capture. Marbles are moved to any free adjacent playing point (including diagonal points), unless a capture can be performed. Jumping over another marble or landing on an occupied point is not allowed for a non-capture move.
CAPTURES: When a path can be followed from a player's marble to an opponent's marble, via one of the external loops, without jumping over other marbles, the move MUST be made, thus capturing the opponent's marble which is then removed from the board, with the attacking marble taking its place. A marble may be moved thorugh as many consecutive, vacant playing points as necessary, but at least one loop MUST be traveled around in order to capture.
The game is won by the player who first captures all of the opponent's marbles. If this is impossible, a draw is declared. If a series of games is being played, a score can be kept--the winner of each game scoring the number of marbles remaining on the board at the end of each game.
TAFL, or HNAFETAFL
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Number of Players: 2
Equipment: Board and 2 sets of peces (the King and his 8 men, and the 16 enemy pieces)
Objective: For White, to reach a corner square with its King and thus escape the attackers. For Black, to capture the King
The game is set up as in the illustration, with the King (the large white piece) placed on the central square (the Throne) surrounded by his men (8 white pieces) arranged in a cross, or, alternatively, the defenders can surround the king in a square arrangment. The enemy (16 dark pieces) are set up around the edges of the board in T patterns, as shown.
Turns alternate, with Black moving first. All pieces move in the same way, like rooks in modern chess. That is, on his turn, a player may move a single piece of his color any number of squares in either a horizontal or vertical direction, but not diagonally. It may not jump over another piece of either color. The Throne and the four corner squares are off-limits to all pieces except the King.
Once the King leaves the Throne, he cannot land on it again. Pieces of either color may pass over the Throne, but may not land on it.
The White player is trying to win by having his King reach an unoccupied corner square and thus escape from his attackers by exiting the board. If the Black player inadvertently opens an escape route for the King, the Whtie player may take advantage of it immediately, moving his King to a corner square to win.
If the White player moves so that his King has a clear path to a corner square in his next move, he must announce that he has an escape route open by saying ''RAICHI'' (''check''). If Black is unable to block, White can then move his King to the corner square and win.
If the White player moves so that his King has a clear path to TWO corner squares, he announcees ''TUICHI'' (''checkmate''). This is an automatic win for White, since Black cannot block two paths in a single move.
CAPTURES: (Note: Rules provided with the game include drawings illustrating the moves described here.)
If the moved piece ends up sandwiching an opposing piece between itself and another piece of the moving color or a corner square, the sandwiched piece is removed from the board. This is called CUSTODIAL CAPTURE. The King is allowed to take part in captures for his side. It is possible to capture several pieces in a single move.
The King must be sandwiched along both axes to be captured. The Throne, corners and edges count as black pieces for purposes of sandwiching the King, so Black needs only three pieces to capture the King on the edge of the board or if he is right beside his Throne; two if the King is right beside a corner square. When the King is in danger of being caputred on Black's next move, he must announce ''Watch yuour King'' to the White player (similar to the Chess prohibition against moving one's king into check). Black wins by capturing the King. The King can also be captured if he and no more than one defender are surrounded on all sides and incapable of moving.
A piece may safely move to place itself in a sandwiched position between two opposing pieces (or a corner square).
STRATEGY: The King's forces usually possess a slight advantage, despite being outnumbered. Tactically, the defenders (King's men) must arrange for the King to escape the board. Therefore, the defender should try to capture as many attackers as possible to clear an escape route, while not trying too hard to protect his own men since they, too, can block the King's escape. The attacker's objective is not only to prevent the King's escape, but also to capture him. The best way to do this is to avoid making captures early in the game, instead scattering the attackers to block possible escape routes.
Handicrafts by Beth and Don
Beth and Don Stookey
18 Greenwood Ct., Utica, NY 13501
Toll Free: 877 274-7720
handicraftsbybethanddon@yahoo.com
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