- Meurimueng-rimueng-do
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Meurimueng-rimueng-do is a two-player abstract strategy board game from Sumatra, Indonesia. It is played by the Acehnese. The game was published in the book entitled "The Achehnese" by Hurgronje, O'Sullivan, Wilkinson, and Brill Leyden in 1906 with the name meurimueng-rimueng-do with no translation or alias. The game is a hunt game similar to Pulijudam and Demala diviyan keliya. They use the same triangular board. Therefore, meurimueng-rimueng-do is specifically a leopard hunt game (or leopard game). In this game, 5 tigers (or leopards) are going up against 15 sheep. The sheep attempt to surround and trap the 5 tigers while the tigers attempt to avoid this fate by capturing enough of the sheep.
Meurimueng-rimueng-do should not be confused with another Sumatran game with a very similar name, meurimueng-rimueng peuet ploh as they are unrelated. The former is a leopard game, whereas the latter is related to Alquerque. Both games, however, are played by the Achehnese.
Contents
Goal
The sheep win if they hem in and immobilize the tigers.
The tigers or leopards win if they capture enough sheep so that they cannot be hemmed in by them.
Equipment
The board used is a triangular board. It is the same board used for the games Pulijudam and Demala diviyan keliya.
The tigers are represented by 5 black pieces. The sheep are represented by 15 white pieces. Here-in-forth, the white pieces will simply be called sheep.
Game Play and Rules
1. Players decide what animal to play.
2. The board is empty in the beginning with each player's pieces set next to the board. Players first drop one of their pieces per turn before they can move them. Players alternate their turns. This will require the Sheep 15 turns, but it will only require the Tiger 5 turns. Therefore, the Tiger can begin to move and capture even before all the sheep pieces have been dropped.
3. It is uncertain which animal starts the game first, however, players can decide among themselves whom should start first.
4. Both tigers and sheep move one space per turn onto a vacant point following the pattern on the board. Only one tiger or sheep may be moved per turn. Alternatively, a tiger can capture a sheep. Only one tiger may be used to capture a sheep in a turn.
5. Only the tigers can capture. The sheep cannot capture. They can only move to immobilize the tigers.
6. A tiger captures a sheep by leaping over it in a straight line, and landing on the vacant point beyond following the pattern on the board. The captured sheep is removed from the board. Only one sheep may be captured per turn. Captures are not compulsory.
Related Games
External links
Categories:- Abstract strategy games
- Indonesian culture
- Traditional board games
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