No.353
The Royal Game of Ur: A Reconstructed Version
Japanese name: ウル王朝のゲーム（再構成版）
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Diagram key
- A
- Rosette (flower mark)
- B
- Entry
- C
- Exit
- D
- Teal and orange have separate entries and exits.
- E
- Only the middle 8 squares are shared.
- F
- A rosette gives an extra throw.
- G
- A piece on the central rosette cannot be captured.
Materials
- A 20-square Royal Game of Ur board
- 7 counters in each of two colours
- 4 identical large coins: heads count one, tails zero
How to play
- Start with counters off the board and follow the marked arrows. Each route uses four private entry squares, eight shared central squares, then two private exit squares before finishing.
- Take turns tossing four coins and move one counter by the number of heads, from zero to four. A new counter also counts from the first entry square. Zero ends the turn.
- You cannot land on your own counter. Landing exactly on an opponent in the shared route sends that counter off the board to enter again on a later turn.
- Landing on a rosette earns another toss. An opponent on the central rosette is protected: you cannot capture or land there. If no counter can legally move, change turns.
- Move a counter off the end with an exact result. An excessive result cannot be used on that counter. First to finish all seven wins.
Ways to adapt
Younger primary: three counters. Older primary and adults: seven.