- Tiger and buffaloes
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Tiger and buffaloes is a two-player abstract strategy board game from Myanmar (Burma). It belongs to the hunt game family. The board is a 4x4 square grid, where pieces are played on the intersection points. It is one of the smallest hunt games. Three tigers are going up against eleven buffaloes. The tigers attempt to capture as many of the buffaloes by the short leap method as in draughts. The buffaloes attempt to hem in the tigers.The game cannot be classified with any of the other hunt games: Tiger games, Leopard games, Fox games, etc. Despite the word "Tiger" in the title, Tiger and buffaloes is not a tiger game since it does not use an Alquerque board. An Alquerque board is a 5x5 square grid with diagonal lines. Tiger and buffaloes is a 4x4 square grid with no diagonal lines. Tiger and buffaloes may form a subfamily of its own under the hunt game family.
Another name for the game is Tiger game.
Contents
Goal
The tigers win if they capture enough buffaloes such that the buffaloes can no longer effectively hem them in.
The buffaloes win if they hem in the tigers.
Equipment
A 4x4 square grid is used. There are 3 tiger pieces colored black, and 11 buffalo pieces colored white.
Game Play and Rules
1. Players decide who will play the Tigers, and who will play the Buffaloes.
2. The board is empty in the beginning. The first stage of the game is the Drop phase. Buffaloes and Tigers alternate their turns. The Buffaloes move first. Four buffaloes are placed on any vacant points on the board. Then the Tiger player places one tiger on any vacant point. Then the Buffalo player places four more of its pieces on any vacant points. Then the Tiger player places another tiger piece onto any vacant point. Then the Buffalo player places its last three buffaloes on any vacant point. Lastly, the Tiger player places its last tiger onto any vacant point.
3. The next stage is the Movement phase. The Buffaloes move first. Players alternate their turns moving one of their own pieces in a turn. Both tigers and buffaloes can move (in any direction) along a marked line onto a vacant adjacent point. There are only orthogonal lines on the board, and therefore all moves are orthogonal (right, left, forward, backward). However, the tiger instead can capture an adjacent buffalo. The tiger leaps over the adjacent buffalo, and lands on a vacant point immediately beyond. The leap must be in a straight line, and follow the pattern on the board. The captured buffalo is removed from the board. It is uncertain if multiple leaps and captures are allowed. It is also uncertain if captures are compulsory, but in all other hunt games, captures are never compulsory.
Related Games
- Rimau
- Bagha-Chall
- Catch the Hare
- Rimau-rimau
- Buga-shadara
- Main Tapal Empat
- Aadu puli attam
- Komikan
- Adugo
- Pulijudam
- Meurimueng-rimueng-do
- Len Choa
- Kaooa
External links
Categories:- Abstract strategy games
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