Caesar Game

Opening Position

No. of Players

Two

Equipment

A Caesar Game board and seventeen each of black and white counters are required for play.

History

This game was published by A.D. Richter & Cie. circa 1900.

Objective

The objective of both players is to move all of their counters across the board to completely occupy the positions occupied by their opponent at the start of the game.

Play

The game commences with the board setup as shown above. Counters are played at the intersections. Note that only the three central intersections are vacant at the start of the game. Alternate turns entail the movement of a single friendly counter along a line to an adjacent vacant intersection. Alternatively, a player may short jump a single counter to a necessarily vacant intersection just beyond. Counters may only move or jump in a forward or diagonally forward direction (towards their goal). The original published rules do not mention if multiple enchained jumps are allowed, but they read like they are not. Allowing enchained jumps in one turn adds a little more depth to the game, although there will not be many opportunities for a multiple jump in any one game. A player who is blockaded and unable to make a legal move is forced to pass his or her turn.

Strategy

This game is very prone to draws in which both players are blockaded without further legal moves. Using normal play, it is counter-intuitive but sometimes wise to create escape routes for the opposing counters still in their back rows. You will not be able to take their positions until they leave.

Variations

The crowded state of the board and its tendency to end in draws make this a game of little depth. It would be interesting to try games with a smaller number of counters per player. A game of thirteen counters per player may prove more interesting. Allowing backwards movement and short jumps would probably also help. It would rarely be in a player's best interest to move backwards, but that would help to prevent two-way blockade traffic jam-like situations on the board.

Sources