Sua Ghin Gnua - Game Play and Rules

Game Play and Rules

1. Players decide who will play the Tiger, and who will play the Oxen. The Tigers have three black tiger pieces, and the Oxen have twelve white oxen pieces.

2. The board is empty in the beginning. Players first drop their pieces onto the board. R.C. Bell unfortunately did not describe in detail how they are dropped onto the board. In some other hunt games, the Oxen would probably start first dropping one oxen onto the board, and then the Tiger would drop one tiger onto a vacant point on the board, with both players continuing dropping their pieces in this fashion alternating their turns. Obviously, with this method, the Tiger would stop dropping its pieces much earlier compared to the Oxen since the Tiger only has three pieces. After all three tigers have been dropped, then the tigers can move and capture. Similarly, after the Oxen has dropped its twelve pieces (which will end in twelve turns), the oxen can then move. Another method that could be employed is the one used in the Myanmar game of Tiger and Buffaloes. The Oxen would start first and drop four of its pieces, and then the Tiger would drop one of its pieces. Then the Oxen would drop another four pieces, and then the Tiger would drop another tiger piece. Then the Oxen would drop its remaining four oxen, and then Tiger would drop its remaining one tiger. However the game is truly played, players can decide among themselves how to fairly start the game.

3. Both tigers and oxen move (in any direction) along a line onto a vacant adjacent point on the board. All lines are orthogonal, therefore, all movements are left, right, forward, and backwards. Only one tiger or oxen may be moved in a turn. Players alternate their turns.

4. A tiger, however, can instead leap over an adjacent oxen, and capture it (short leap method as in draughts). The leap must be in a straight line, and the tiger must land on a point on the board immediately beyond the oxen. The leap must also be in an orthogonal direction since leaps must also follow the orthogonal pattern of the board. The leaped oxen is removed from the board. R.C. Bell did not mention if multiple leaps and captures are allowed.