This version is played according to exactly the same rules as the basic version, but with the addition of GIPF-pieces. A GIPF-piece consists of 2 basic pieces stacked one on top of another.

GIPF means "potential". On the one hand, just as in the basic game, a player must comply with the rule to bring a piece into play each turn.

On the other hand, he must also take care that his potential (i.e. his GIPF) stays in play. So, a player must always have at least one GIPF-piece on the board.

Remark:

A GIPF-piece consists of 2 basic pieces, but on the board it counts as only 1 piece.

Begin

Both players take 18 basic pieces. The start position remains the same but now they start with 3 GIPF-pieces on the board each. (See illustration 1: GIPF-pieces instead of basic pieces).

GIPF

1. The difference between a basic piece and a GIPF- piece is that it is not obligatory to capture a GIPF- piece (neither your own, nor your opponent's).

   In other words: when a GIPF-piece (regardless of its color) is part of a row that must be taken from the board, then a player is free to choose between taking it and leaving it on its spot.

   In most cases the choice will amount to taking a GIPF-piece only when it belongs to the opponent. But be careful: situations will certainly occur in which it may be better to deviate from this strategy.

   
   
   

   (See illustration 8: White takes 3 white basic pieces and 1 black basic piece; most likely White will also take the black GIPF-piece, but leave the 2 white GIPF-pieces on the board).

2. When two rows of at least 4 pieces of the same color intersect each other and the spot of intersection is occupied by a GIPF-piece, then the player may choose whether he will take one or two rows from the board.

   Either he captures only one row, including the GIPF-piece on the intersection spot (which means there is no second row to be taken any more), or he takes one row and leaves the GIPF-piece on its spot, thus having to capture the second row as well (with or without the GIPF- piece).

   
   
   

   (See again illustration 6: as it is, Black has to remove only one row. In case the intersection spot would be occupied by a GIPF-piece, Black would first have to take one row, with or without the GIPF-piece; if he decides not to take the GIPF-piece, he has to take the second row as well-again with or without the GIPF-piece).

Remark:

When a player captures a GIPF-piece of his own color, it must be returned to the reserve as two separate basic pieces. They may not be brought into play again as a GIPF-piece.

End of the Game

Now there are two ways of winning: a player must succeed in removing the opponent's GIPF from the board (i.e. all of his GIPF-pieces) or he must exhaust the opponent's reserve.

In other words: the one who has either lost his last GIPF-piece, or has no basic piece left to bring into play, loses the game.

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