A traditional Indian strategy board game played for generations, combining geometric precision with deep foresight.
1. The Setup & Elements
The game is played on a board consisting of three concentric squares connected by crosslines, creating 24 intersection nodes.
- Player 1 (Host/Peebles): Uses smooth clay river pebbles (slate grey stones).
- Player 2 (Guest/Sticks): Uses natural hand-cut wooden twigs or sticks.
- Each player starts with exactly 9 pieces in their hand.
2. Phase I: Placing Phase
Beginning with Pebbles (Stones), players take turns placing one piece from their hand onto any empty node on the board.
- No pieces already on the board can be moved during this phase.
- If a player forms a line of three pieces along any of the grid lines (called a Mill or Tiga), they immediately trigger a capture and must remove one of their opponent's active pieces.
3. Phase II: Sliding & Movement Phase
Once all 9 pieces have been placed, players take turns sliding one of their pieces along a marked line to an adjacent empty node.
- You cannot jump over pieces or move to occupied nodes.
- If a move forms a new Tiga (Mill), a capture is triggered.
4. Phase III: Flying Phase
When a player is reduced to exactly 3 pieces, their pieces break free from sliding restrictions and can fly (jump) to any empty node on the entire board.
- Settings Toggle (Rural/Strict vs. Tournament/Flying): Traditional village rules ("Rural/Strict") disable flying, keeping pieces restricted to sliding even with only 3 remaining. Tournament rules allow the Flying Phase.
5. Mills (Tiga) & Capturing Rules
Forming a line of three of your pieces horizontally or vertically along a line is a Tiga (Mill).
- Capture Protection: You cannot capture an opponent's piece that is currently part of an active mill, unless the opponent has only mill pieces left on the board.
- Active Turn Lock: When you form a Tiga, the game turn locks on you. You cannot perform other actions until you click an eligible opponent piece to capture.
6. Victory Conditions
The game is won when:
- Elimination: You reduce the opponent to fewer than 3 pieces.
- Blockade: You trap the opponent so that they have no legal moves remaining on their turn.