Components

The game of Gobblet consists of:

• 16-square playing board
• 24 playing pieces called gobblets: 12 white and 12 black.

Object of the Game

Be the first player to align 4 gobblets in a row.

Whites win. 4 gobblets have been lined up.

Setup

Each player chooses a color and arranges his gobblets in 3 stacks of 4 gobblets each. Only the 3 biggest gobblets are showing at the beginning. These stacks are called external stacks.

Each player arranges his gobblets in 3 stacks.

Game Play

In turns, players can either put a new gobblet on the board, move one of their gobblets already on the board to any empty space or gobble up any smaller size gobblet with a bigger gobblet already in play.

Blacks' turn to move. Player can either put another black gobblet on the board or move the black gobblet already on the board to an empty square or gobble up the smaller white piece on the board.

If you put a new gobblet in play, you must place it on an empty square. However, there is one exception to this rule: if your opponent already has 3 gobblets in a row on the board, you may gobble up 1 of the 3 pieces in the line with a gobblet taken directly from one of your external stacks.

Whites' turn to move. There are 3 black gobblets lined up, so the player with the white gobblets can gobble one of them directly from one of his external stacks.

If you place all 12 of your pieces on the board before the game is over, you simply continue playing with the pieces on the board until a winner or a draw is declared.

End of the Game

The first player to align 4 gobblets in a row wins.

The gobblets forming the line do not all have to be the same size and can be lined up vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

Blacks win: There are 4 gobblets in a straight visible line.

Notes On Play

Playing from Stacks: Players must play pieces in the order they appear, starting from the top.

Playing from the Board: Gobblets must be lifted to ensure that only one piece is moved at a time.

Gobbling: You can gobble up your own pieces. You can gobble up any smaller size gobblet; it does not have to be the next size down.

Touched Gobblet: Once you touch a gobblet that is on the board you must play it. If you touch a gobblet that cannot be played, you automatically lose that game.

Uncovering Gobblets: You can move any gobblet on the board whether it is covering another gobblet or not. However, if you uncover one of your opponent's pieces, and this move reveals a line of 4 of your opponent's pieces, you lose unless you can place your gobblet over a different piece in this same line of 4.

Draws: The game is declared a draw if 3 repetitions of identical moves between whites and blacks occur or by mutual agreement between players.

Continue Reading