Katarenga
Katarenga Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 8 white pawns
- 8 black pawns
- 1 game frame (in two parts)
- 4 game squares (double-sided)
Goal of the Game
Whoever shows the best tactics and is first to cross the opposing line with two of their pawns, or prevents their opponent from occupying their own camps, is the more strategic player and wins not only their battles but the game itself.
Preparation
Assemble the two parts of the game frame and place it in the center of a table. Then place the four game squares into the frame however you like. The game squares are printed on both sides. Each side features different squares and so is distinct from the others. All the game squares can be rotated as desired, flipped over, and placed in any of the four corners of the frame. As a result, every game can be played on a new, unique board.
Tip: if you have already played KATARENGA several times and know the game better, we recommend building a balanced board during assembly so that no player is too advantaged or disadvantaged at the start of the game.
Once the board has been assembled, you must randomly determine each player's color. The black player decides which line they want to play from and turns the board so as to position the chosen line in front of them. Now place your pawns on the squares of your line. Since the black player has already chosen their side, it is the white player's turn to start the game and make the first move.
Course of the Game
You play in turn order. On your turn you move one of your pawns following the movement rules. In KATARENGA, the pawns have no function or value of their own. The type of move is defined by the square the pawn is standing on.
In KATARENGA, there are four types of squares:
A pawn standing on a green square must always move two squares straight ahead from its starting square, then one square to the left or right to reach its destination square. A pawn on a green square therefore moves in an L-shape, like the knight in chess.
A pawn standing on a blue square must move horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to an adjacent square. A pawn on a blue square therefore moves like the king in chess.
A pawn standing on a red square may move along a line or a row, that is, horizontally and vertically, but without jumping over other pawns. A pawn on a red square therefore moves like the rook in chess. However, it cannot jump over other red squares. Its move must stop at the latest on the next red square found along that horizontal or vertical line.
A pawn standing on a yellow square must move diagonally, without jumping over other pawns. A pawn on a yellow square therefore moves like the bishop in chess. However, it cannot jump over other yellow squares. Its move must stop at the latest on the next yellow square found along that diagonal line.
Movement
When it is your turn to play, choose one of your pawns and move it in accordance with the rules that apply to the square it stands on. You may move your pawns in any direction.
Example 1: the black player chooses the pawn shown as pawn 1 and moves it in accordance with the rules that apply to the square it stands on. The pawn is on a red square, so it moves like a rook and can be placed on any of the squares highlighted in color. However, the pawn cannot move to all of the other squares on this turn. Since a rook's move must always stop at the latest on the next red square, the pawn cannot move all the way to the ends of the lines to the left and downward.
Capture
There must always be only one pawn on any one square. You can never place your pawn on a square where one of your own pawns already stands. That square is blocked for your other pawns.
However, if an opposing pawn is on that square, you may place your pawn there and remove the opposing pawn. You have then captured it. Captured pawns are removed from the game.
Example 2: black pawn 1 can capture the opposing pawn from the red square.
Touch-Move
Once you have carried out a move, you can no longer take it back! If you deliberately touch one of your own pawns, you must carry out your move with that pawn, provided a move in accordance with the rules is possible. If you deliberately touch an opposing pawn (to capture it), you must capture that pawn, provided the capture is possible in accordance with the rules.
However, if you touch a pawn that cannot be moved (or captured) in this situation in accordance with the rules, this has no consequence. Instead, you may carry out another move in accordance with the rules with one of your other pawns.
Opponent's Line
When you move one of your pawns onto the opposing line, your move ends there. You need another move to cross the opposing line and occupy the enemy camp. The line is part of the playing area. As long as your pawn is on the line, it therefore remains in the game. From the line, you can move it in any direction possible in accordance with the usual rules, even along the line. Important: a pawn on a line can therefore move back, it can capture opposing pawns, and it can be captured by the opponent.
When it is your turn and you make an additional move so that your pawn crosses the opposing line and occupies the enemy camp, it can no longer return to the game in progress.
Example 3: black pawn 1 and black pawn 2 could be moved onto the opposing line. They cannot be placed behind the opposing line. In addition, black pawn 2 could capture an opposing pawn during this turn. Black pawn 3 cannot be moved onto the opposing line, because a pawn (black pawn 4) belonging to the player prevents this move. All the other pawns cannot reach the line on this turn.
Enemy Camp
If one of your pawns is on the opposing line, you may cross it on your turn and occupy one of the two enemy camps with that pawn. To do so, place your pawn on one of the two squares in the corners of the board. Crossing the opposing line and occupying an enemy camp counts as one complete move in its own right. Once you have done so, you can no longer bring the pawn back into the game. Then it is your opponent's turn to play. As soon as you have conquered both camps, you have won the game.
Example 4: the black player moves black pawn 4 from the opposing line to enter the enemy camp. The pawn is now safe and the first camp is occupied. As soon as the black player occupies the second camp with another pawn, they have won the game.
End of the Game
There are two ways to win a game of KATARENGA:
- You win when you are first to cross the opposing line with two of your pawns and occupy the enemy camps with them (Example 5).
- You win when you make it so that your opponent no longer has enough pawns to occupy your two camps (Example 6).
Example 5: the black player occupies both enemy camps and wins the game.
Example 6: the white player no longer has enough pawns in play to occupy both enemy camps. This is why they automatically lose, and the black player wins the game.
Our Tips
Rematch: once you have finished a game, we recommend playing another one. To do this, turn the board so that the white player plays with the black player's former opposing line and vice versa, to make sure that the victory (or defeat) is not due to one side of the board having a starting position that is more (or less) advantageous than the other. In the event of a tie, you can determine the overall winner by playing further games. Remember: after each new game, always turn the board, play a rematch, and so guarantee equal chances for both players.
Chess clock: play KATARENGA with a chess clock (or a chess clock app). Choose the number of minutes each player has available. You will discover that fast games with a time limit have a very particular dynamic. Alternatively, you can set the clock (or the app) to a personal number of minutes for each player in order to balance out any difference in skill level between the players.
Credits
Author: David Parlett. 3D: Andreas Resch. Design: Sabine Kondirolli, HUCH! Editing: Simon Hopp. Translation: Ü-Werk GmbH. © 2017 HUCH!, www.hutter-trade.com. Manufacturing and distribution: Hutter Trade GmbH + Co KG, Bgm.-Landmann-Platz 1-5, 89312 Günzburg, Germany. License: whitecastle.at. See also: parlettgames.uk.
Warning! Not suitable for children under 3 years. Contains small parts that could be swallowed.