Fibonacci
Fibonacci Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Pieces
Each player has one core piece (a), six attack pieces (b) and six support pieces (c).
Setup
The initial layout (titled "Initial setup" in the source) is shown as a diagram only; no written placement steps are given.
Winning
The goal of the game is to completely surround the six spaces around your opponent's core piece with your six attack pieces.
First Player
After each player decides their colour, flip a coin to decide who goes first.
Number of Moves
If red is the first player: red has 1 move, green 2 moves, red 3 moves, green 4 moves, red 5 moves. After that, each turn normally has 6 moves.
At the start of your turn, your number of moves is reduced by 1 for each opponent attack piece placed on a space adjacent to your core piece.
For example: if at the end of green's turn green has placed 4 attack pieces on spaces adjacent to red's core piece, red's next turn has only 2 moves. In this way, as one player's win approaches, the number of moves the opponent has available for defence decreases.
Movement
Choose one of your attack pieces or support pieces and move it using one of the following methods:
- Move it to an adjacent space.
- If that piece was one of a group of identical pieces (same colour and same type) connected in a continuous chain, move it to a space adjacent to the group.
As long as the movement rules are followed, you may also move onto a space that is already occupied. In that case, the piece already on the destination space is placed on the space that the moving piece came from. In this way you can move your own or your opponent's pieces from one place to another. Core pieces cannot move alone, so they change position only in this way.
Pieces are never removed from the board.
A group is a set of same-colour, same-type pieces connected to one another.
Movement Examples
(i) Single move: The red player can move a red piece to the marked space.
(ii) Group move: The red player can move one of the five support pieces to the marked space in one move.
(iii) Swap move: The red player can move support piece (a) to the space of attack piece (b) in one move. Attack piece (b) then moves to the space where support piece (a) was. Because this space is adjacent to green's core piece, this reduces green's number of moves in green's next turn.
(iv) Note: when the piece is not part of a group: If the red player moves attack piece (b), it is a single move, so it can only move to spaces directly adjacent to the piece.
Translator's note: in examples (iii) and (iv) the source labels the support and attack pieces as (a) and (b), reusing the letters of the piece types listed under Pieces. Those labels here refer to the example diagrams, not to the core piece (a).
Strategy
Keep your pieces together so you can move quickly around the board with group moves. Break up your opponent's groups by swap-moving their pieces to the ends of your own groups. Use groups of support pieces to bring the opponent's core piece closer to your attack pieces, or to move your own core piece to safety.
The key to this game is attack. As early as possible, make your attack pieces adjacent to your opponent's core piece. By doing so first, you reduce the opponent's number of moves, so they can no longer defend.
Example of a Winning Sequence
Let red win. Red's core piece is surrounded by three of the opponent's attack pieces, so at the start of red's turn red's number of moves is reduced from 6 to 3.
- First move (I): Red uses a support piece to move the opponent's core piece next to red's attack piece.
- Second move (II): Red uses an attack piece to move the opponent's core piece to the centre of red's attack group.
- Third move (III): Red moves the attack piece at the top of the group to the empty space next to the opponent's core piece, completely surrounding the six spaces around it. (IV) The final position is shown in the diagram.
Card Variant: Fibonacci with Cards
This version adds a luck element to Fibonacci. The movement of pieces is exactly the same. However, the number of moves in each turn is determined by cards.
Each player has 12 cards in total: 2 cards each of values 1 (Ace) to 6. (These can be taken from a normal deck of playing cards.) Shuffle these cards and each player keeps them as a face-down draw pile. At the start of your turn, turn over the top card of your pile; the number shown is the number of moves for that turn. When your pile runs out, reshuffle to form a new pile and continue the game.
With this variant, placing your attack pieces next to your opponent's core piece does not reduce your opponent's number of moves.
The win condition also differs: you win by having all six of your attack pieces connected in a single group, and surrounding at least 3 of the six spaces adjacent to your opponent's core piece.
Go Variant
Translator's note: this variant is not in the original rulebook. It is published by the designer on his website, at http://www.strategygame.co.uk/fibonacci-variant-the-go-start.html.
Do not use the official starting layout. Begin with an empty board.
- The first player places one support piece on the board, then the second player places one support piece in the same way. The players alternate until both have placed all six support pieces.
- The first player places one attack piece on the board, then the second player places one attack piece in the same way. The players alternate until both have placed all six attack pieces.
- The first player places their core piece on the board, then the second player places their core piece in the same way.
- The first player takes 1 move, the second player takes 2 moves, and so on. From here on, play follows the normal rules.