Components
- Gameboard
- 16 Pawns (4 sets of 4 colors)
- Dice cup
- 2 Dice
Object of the Game
Be first to move all four of your pawns from your START circle to HOME.
Setup
Take four pawns of the same color. Find the gray path space with the circle that matches your color pawns. Place your pawns in the START circle to its right. All players do the same. Players should be sitting so that their START circles are to their right.
See the Yellow player's START circle A in the gameboard below.
Game Play
All players roll two dice; use the dice cup if you wish. Highest roller starts. Play then continues to the left.
Entering your Pawns
Each pawn must enter before it can start around the gameboard path. On each of your turns, try to enter your pawns by rolling FIVES, as explained below. To enter each pawn, place it on your ENTER space.
Pawns are entered only on die rolls of FIVE-a 5 on one or both dice; or any combination totaling 5 (4+1 or 3+2).
When possible you must enter a pawn. However, if you can't use a five to enter, try to use it for movement. See Moving Your Entered Pawns.
The above diagram shows the Yellow player's START circle
Aand ENTER spaceB. The player's pawns will follow the arrow around the board, up the red home pathCand into the HOME Square. All gray path spaces with circles are SAFETY spaces.
Moving your Entered Pawns
Move your entered pawns counterclockwise along the path the number of spaces you roll on the dice; see the arrow on the gameboard diagram. Move your pawns by the rules below:
You may move one or two pawns on your turn. For example, if you roll 4 + 3, you can move one pawn 4 + 3 spaces; or you can move one pawn 4 spaces and another pawn 3 spaces.
You must move whenever possible. If you cannot move by the count of both dice, you may move one pawn by the count of either one of the dice.
No more than two of your pawns can occupy any space.
Doublets
A roll of matching dice is called doublets. A roll of doublets entitles you to another roll - and may also entitle you to a bonus move.
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If you roll doublets before all of your pawns are entered, take your turn as usual, then roll again.
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Doublets Bonus
If you roll doublets after all four of your pawns are entered, use the four numbers on the tops and the bottoms of the dice for movement. The total of this four-part move is always 14, and can be taken by one pawn or split among 2 or more pawns.
For example, if you roll two 6's, use the two 6's on the tops and the two 1's on the bottoms for your four-part move. If you decide to split the move among three pawns, you may decide to move one pawn 6 spaces, a second pawn 1 space, and the third pawn 6 spaces, then 1 space.
If you can't take all four parts of your move, don't move your pawns at all. Whether you move or not, roll again.
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Doublets Penalty
The third consecutive time you roll doublets, don't move your pawns at all. Instead, move your pawn closest to HOME (even if it's on your Home Path) and return it to your START circle; it must be re-entered later. This ends your turn.
Capturing an Opponent's Pawn
When you land on an opponent's pawn by the count of any die, you capture it. Return the captured pawn to its START circle; it must be re-entered later.
Pawns cannot be captured on their Home Path spaces, or on most Safety spaces; see Safety Spaces, right, for the exception.
If you capture a pawn after moving on the count of one die, you may continue your move with the same pawn or with another pawn.
Capture Bonus: After capturing a pawn, move any one of your pawns an additional 20 spaces at the end of your turn. If you capture during a Doublets Bonus move, complete your capture bonus before moving again.
If you can't move one pawn the full 20 spaces, you forfeit the bonus.
Safety Spaces
All gray spaces with circles (including ENTER spaces) are Safety spaces (see gameboard illustration). Two pawns of different colors can never share a Safety space.
Pawns cannot be captured on Safety spaces. Exception: If an opponent's pawn occupies your ENTER space, when you enter a pawn, you capture it.
Blockades
Two pawns of the same color on any path space form a blockade. A blockade cannot be landed on, passed or captured by any pawn.
If a blockade occupies your ENTER space, you cannot enter a pawn. You may be forced to break up your own blockade if you can't move any of your other pawns.
The two pawns in a blockade cannot be moved forward to form a blockade together on a new space.
Reaching Home
To reach HOME, move your pawns up your Home Path (the red path in front of you) and into the HOME square. You may not move your pawns onto any opponent's Home Path spaces.
Each pawn must enter home by exact die roll, counting the HOME square as a space. For example, the Yellow player's pawn on space C in the gameboard diagram is 3 spaces away from HOME.
Home Bonus
After moving a pawn into home, move any one of your pawns an additional 10 spaces at the end of your turn. If you can't move one pawn the full 10 spaces, you forfeit the bonus.
End of the Game
The first player to move all four pawns HOME wins!
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