Simpei

Simpei is a 2-player abstract strategy game by the Japanese company Bandai. It features little figures which can be placed on some places of the board head-up and in some others head-down. The objective is to get three in a row, but there are some specific rules governing movement and placement.

The name of the game is pronounced as "shim-pay" and is named after the designer, Shimpei Takahashi.

Rules

Each player has 4 pieces. One player is red, the other is blue. Upper world place pieces face up, lower world place the pieces face-down in the holes.

Basic turn overview

* Each player places one piece of their 4 pieces on their turn.
* 1st player must place his/her piece on one of the 4 middle upper world spaces.
* 2nd player puts their pieces anywhere he/she likes on the board.
* Play continues with each subsequent turn players placing pieces anywhere on the board.

andwiching pieces

* If you sandwich the other player's piece on the upper world, you must move the sandwiched piece(s) to anywhere else on the board and likewise for the lower world.
* Upper world pieces cannot sandwich lower world pieces and vice versa, lower world pieces cannot sandwich upper world pieces.
* If you place or move your own piece between your opponents pieces it is not sandwiched.
* After you move a piece you can sandwich your opponent's piece.
* If you sandwich 2 pieces you must move them to another space and never to either of the spaces from whence either of the pieces came.
* Likewise, if you sandwich 3 or 4 pieces you must move them.

Moving pieces

* After all 4 pieces have been placed on the board, and not until then, you begin moving your pieces.
* Move your piece one space per turn.
* An upper world piece can only move to lower world spaces (holes).
* A lower world piece can only move to upper world spaces.

Winning

* You win if you get 3 pieces in a row: O O O
* All 3 pieces in the upper world O O O
* All 3 pieces in the lower world o o o
* A lower world piece does not block 3 upper world pieces O x O O
* A upper world piece does not block 3 lower world pieces o o X o
* You must move into 3 in a row.

Losing

* 4 pieces in a row does not win. O O O O
* 3 pieces in a row if they are both in the upper world and lower world. OoO
* If your opponent moves your piece to make 3 in a row.
* If one has 4 in a row and moves away to make 3 in a row.

External links

* [http://www.mrbass.org/boardgames/abstractstrategy/simpei Simpei rules with screenshots]
* [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/19540 Simpei entry on a BoardGameGeek]