Cercar La Liebre

Opening Positions for Three Different Boards

Alternate Names

Catch the Hare, Coyote & Chickens

No. of Players

Two

Equipment

Originally, this game was played on an Alquerque board, but gradually through history, the board lost its diagonals until eventually being played on a simple 4x4 square grid. Regardless of the board used, there is always one “hare” counter, which is often larger, and twelve “hunter” or “hound” counters.

Boards: alquerque, 4x4 grid, 4x4 grid w/ 2 diagonals, circular alquerque board

History

This game is mentioned in the notorious Alfonso manuscript of 1283 as played by the Spaniards. It is likely to have been introduced, along with the Alquerque board on which it was played, from the Moors. It is also possible that the Europeans invented their own game to play on the Alquerque board after it was introduced from Africa. The game spread to the New World with the Spaniards and came to be played by Mexican Indians, calling it Coyote & Chickens.

Objective

The objective of the hunter player is to immobilize the hares. The objective of the hare player is to capture enough hunters so that this is not possible for them to win.

Play

First it is decided who will be the “hare”, controlling the single white counter which is often larger, and who will be the “hunters”, controlling the army of black counters. All counters are placed at the intersections using any one of the initial boards and opening positions shown above. Hunters have the first turn. They move one step in any direction along a line. The hare also moves in this manner but, in addition, it may orthogonally Short Jump hunter counters to a vacant position just beyond the hunter, thereby capturing the hunter counter, similar to a King in Checkers. Jump and capture is not compulsory but may be in any direction and enchained so that the hare may make multiple captures in one turn, changing direction after each jump if desired. Being that the forces are unequal in this game, it is customary to play an even number of games in one contest between players, alternating who controls the hare.

Variations

Sources