No.351
Pong Hau Ki
Japanese name: ポンハウキ
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Diagram key
- A
- The top 2 points are not directly connected.
- B
- 2 pieces each; leave the center empty.
- C
- Move 1 step along a line to an adjacent empty point.
- D
- Win by leaving your opponent with no legal move.
Materials
- A five-point pong hau k’i board
- 2 large counters in each of two colours
How to play
- Mark four square corners and the centre. Connect the left, right and bottom edges and both diagonals, leaving out the top edge. Put one colour on the top two points and the other on the bottom two.
- Choose who starts. Alternate moving one of your counters to an adjacent empty point directly connected by a line.
- Do not traverse two lines in one move, jump over the centre or stack counters. There are no captures, and exactly one point always remains empty.
- Win by leaving both opposing counters unable to move. Before each move, you may check together whether a line leads from the chosen counter to the empty point.
- Call a draw if the same position keeps recurring, or end after 3 minutes. Swap both starting player and colours for another game.
Ways to adapt
Preschool: a large board and shared discussion. Primary school and up: competitive play.