Tanglung
Tanglung Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- 16 Tanglung Cards
- 2 Player Reference Cards
- 1 Fan Token
- 3 Matchbox Tokens
Setup for Every Match
- Place the 2 Rooster cards diagonally opposite each other in either two corners of what will become a 4×4 grid of cards.
- Shuffle the remaining 14 Tanglung cards. Then, form a 4×4 grid by placing them face down to fill all remaining spaces around and between the 2 Rooster cards, expanding row by row until the grid is complete.
- Flip the central 2×2 cluster of cards face up.
- Each player receives 1 Player Reference card and chooses a Matchbox. The player who most recently lit a real lantern takes the first turn.
- Beginning with the starting player, take turns placing your Matchbox token on an available Rooster card.
The setup illustration shows a 4×4 grid of Tanglung cards with the Rooster cards in two opposite corners, the central 2×2 cluster flipped face up, and numbered markers 1–5 keyed to the setup steps above.
Game Play
Goal: Be first to win 2 matches!
Winning Conditions
- LIGHT UP the last Tanglung
- The other player cannot move
- BUMP the other player's Matchbox twice
On Your Turn
On your turn, choose 1 of 2 actions. Then, check if any winning condition is met.
Rooster Action
A. MOVE your Matchbox 1 orthogonal step to an unoccupied & unblocked Tanglung card.
B. If it's not yet lit, LIGHT UP that Tanglung card by flipping it to its face-up, lit side.
C. Remove the Rooster card from the grid the first time you take its action. However, you can choose to take this action on future turns.
D. PLACE the Fan on any unoccupied Tanglung card. Placing the Fan is mandatory with the Rooster action—it must be moved from its previously-placed position.
The Fan blocks a Tanglung card. No action can move a Matchbox to or over the card blocked by the Fan.
The Rooster action illustration shows the sequence A (move), B (light up), and C (remove the Rooster card) on a sample grid.
Lantern Action
E. MOVE your Matchbox according to the action of that particular lit lantern you are at to any unblocked Tanglung card. (Lantern list on p.7)
F. If it's not yet lit, LIGHT UP that Tanglung card by flipping it to its face-up, lit side.
G. Remove that Tanglung card from the grid—it's done glowing for the rest of the match. That spot becomes an empty space on the grid.
H. If another player's Matchbox is occupying the Tanglung card you have moved to, BUMP the other player's Matchbox out of the grid.
J. Once bumped, the other player's Matchbox is flipped to the side with 1 matchstick left. This marks that they have been bumped once.
K. Their next turn is used only to place their Matchbox on an unoccupied & unblocked lit Tanglung card. If there isn't one left on the grid, you win this match.
Note: the source lettering runs H then J; no marker "I" is printed.
The lantern action illustration marks legal and illegal movement routes with a green check and a red cross, and shows the Fan blocking a card. It also labels the bump sequence "First one to BUMP the other player's Matchbox twice wins the match!"
Match & Game End
A match ends once a winning condition is met. A game ends once a player wins 2 matches.
Lantern Actions
The lantern you are at determines how your Matchbox may move with the Lantern action.
Rabbit: Move any number of orthogonal steps.
Butterfly: Move any number of diagonal steps.
Fish: Move 1 orthogonal or diagonal step.
Horse: Move 1 orthogonal step then 2 perpendicular steps, or vice versa.
Dragon: Move any number of orthogonal or diagonal steps.
Only HORSE and DRAGON actions may move a Matchbox over other Tanglung and empty spaces on the grid.
Solo Mode
Master the Tanglung actions to find that zen moment when all 16 lanterns are glowing at the same time!
Setup
- Follow the first 2 setup steps on p.2 for the grid layout and keep the central 2×2 cluster of cards face down.
- Start your Matchbox on one of the Rooster cards.
- Keep the Fan in the box, it's not used in solo play.
Game Flow
MOVE your Matchbox from one Tanglung card to another, using the action of the card you move from, then LIGHT UP the Tanglung card you move to by flipping it to its face-up, lit side.
If the Tanglung card you move to is already lit, flip the previous card you moved from, face down. (The latter does not apply to Rooster cards.)
You win when all 16 lanterns are simultaneously aglow!
Solo Mode Notes
- Do not remove any Tanglung cards from the grid.
- Ignore the Fan action on the Rooster card.
- There is no time or action limit in this zen mode.
Not-So-Zen Modes
- Shuffle all 16 cards together before forming the grid, then start from any Rooster card.
- Set a 2-minute timer and play against the time!
Cooperative Mode
Players take turns to MOVE their own matchbox and LIGHT UP the lanterns as per solo rules. Win as a team once all 16 lanterns are lit!