Game instructions
It’s the players aim to eliminate the opponent’s game pieces. Once a player loses all the game pieces on the board or is unable to make a legitimate move, the game is over.
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Each player sets up 3 game pieces in opposite corners of the board to start. One game piece on the grey square in the corner and two on the bordering white squares.
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Three additional game pieces are put next to the game board (off the board).
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Both players receive two table cards (face up) and one hand card face down.
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One player deals out and the other player starts. The winner of a game always deals for the following game.
- The remainder of the deck is on a pile next to the game board.
- From now on the players play alternately with the three cards given and make moves with the pieces on the board. The cards have different values and can also be combined. But normally, only one card is used for a move.
- When you play a card, you first move with one of your pieces and then take a new card from the deck. A table card is replaced on the table, a hand card in the hand.
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Basically, you always move your pieces over the sides of the squares. You can move in all directions except for the ones that are blocked or the one you have just moved over
(no forward and backward in one action). - The J is the only exception where you’re allowed to move your piece diagonally, similar to the bishop in Chess. You stay on the same colour of squares.
- Your opponents’ pieces can never be overleapt. You can only move on occupied squares if you can play a move card in combination with a kill card to eliminate one of your opponents’ pieces.
- When all the deck cards are used, the last card is left face up and the rest of the deck is shuffled to make a new pile.
move
six squares
move
three squares (can be combined with both “Kill cards”)
move
two squares (can be combined with both “Kill cards”)
move
one square (can be combined with both “Kill cards”)
Special «Kill-Cards»
«Kill-card», or play it without moving
«Kill-card», or play it without moving
Other special cards
«Mystery-card», a table card becomes a hand card
«New entry», you activate a new game piece if possible or play it without moving
«Bishop», can be combined with both “Kill cards”
Combinations of two cards
Apart from the normal “Kill move”, two sequent cards (eg 7/8) from the same suit can be combined in free order. The values of the cards can be used for different game pieces but also just for one. (eg 3 squares for the Q with one piece and two squares for the K with another)
Combinations of three cards
Combinations of three cards can be played if a player holds three cards of the same suit. (Like a flush in poker) The values of the cards can also be split and used for different pieces. Such combinations are very useful, because you can complete three moves in one action. You can always just play one of the three cards though.
6/7 Kill- move
The combination 6 and 7 of the same colour can also be played as a kill-move because the cards are in sequence. The combination 6 and 10 although can not be played as a combination of two. A 6 and a 10 can only be played after each other if they are held as flush with an extra card of the same colour.
Entry-Kill
The combination of 9 and 10 of the same colour can be used as an Entry-Kill if your starting field is occupied by one of your opponent’s pieces. Playing an Entry-Kill can be very effective because you can eliminate and activate in one move. The combination 9/7 however, cannot be used as a combination of two cards and therefore not be used as an Entry-Kill. But like the combination 6/10, it can be used in a combination of three cards (flush).
Eliminator (Straight Flush)
If the three cards held are of the same suit and in a row (Straight Flush in Poker), they can be played as an Eliminator. (eg. 9/10/J hearts) If you play an Eliminator your can take one of your pieces and replace one of your opponent’s pieces thus eliminating it. The Eliminator can also eliminate a piece in a blockade (safe piece). Sometimes it makes more sense not to play this combination as an Eliminator but as a normal combination of three.
Blockade
If a least three of your pieces stand in a diagonal row (blockade), they are safe and can only be eliminated with an Eliminator. You can also make blockades with four or even five pieces. It can therefore be very useful to bring your pieces in a blockade position if possible. For such situations, No-move cards can be very useful because you don’t have give up a good position.
Reactivation
If you hold three cards of the same value (eg. K/K/K) they can be played together (without moving) to reactivate one of your eliminated pieces. The reactivated piece first stays outside the game board before it can be activated with a 9 card. You can play this action even if none of your pieces are eliminated just to get rid of the cards.
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The rules for this version are exactly the same but the nature of the game changes in a very interesting way because normally there are more pieces on the game board and because you play in teams. Every player sits on the opposite side of his partner.
- The player on the right of the dealer starts and after that you play one after the other in an anti-clockwise way.
- Every player plays a different colour but unlike the 2 – players version you can only play with four pieces.
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At the start, two pieces each are set up on the two white squares on your side (like in the 2 – player version). The starting field is left free. In addition, every player has two extra pieces on the outside.
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Every player has to play his own pieces until all of his pieces on the game board are eliminated. (In that case you also lose pieces which have not been activated yet). After that you can still play on because you’re then allowed to move with your partner’s pieces.
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You are also allowed to make blockades with your partner’s pieces, however, you are not allowed to give your partner any hints for playing.