Gluckhaus ( House of Fortune )

- German in origin - 16th century

Gluckhaus is played on a board numbered from 2 to 12 (without the number 4), with two 6-sided dice and some coins.

It is a game for 2 or more players,

The only set squares are 2 (a pig), 7 (a wedding), and 12 (a king).

Play begins with each player anteing a coin to the wedding. After all, one must always bring a gift to a wedding. Players then begin to roll dice, passing the dice around the table.

On any roll of 7 ( The Wedding) , the player leaves a coin on the wedding - cause everyone brings a gift to a wedding. Play then passes to the next player.

On a roll of 2 ( The Lucky Pig ) ( you have to make Pig noises ) , the player takes every coin on the board except for the wedding - cause even a pig wouldnt steal from a wedding . Play then passes to the next player.

On a roll of 12 (the King) ( you have to shout 'All HAIL THE KING ") , the player takes every coin on the board, including the wedding - cause everyone pays Taxes . Any players interested in starting a new game would now ante a coin onto the wedding.

4 is a free turn (no gain or loss). In gambling houses and bars, it was sometimes customary that 4 was the house number, meaning the player would pay a coin to the owner of the board.

And on a roll of 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, or 11 one of two things happens.

If there is no coin on the space rolled, the player places a coin on that space. Play then passes to the next player.

or

If there is a coin on the space rolled, the player takes it. Play then passes to the next player.

game is of probable German in origin and dates to 1471 and reached its height in popularity during the 1700s (particularly in France).

The game is played on a spiral course of 63 spaces or points, consecutively numbered. Certain special-marked spaces add either a bonus or a penalty to a player's move. Any number of players can play. Each player needs a uniquely marked, colored or shaped playing piece. Each player places their single playing piece on the starting area. Play is commenced by each player, in turn, advancing his piece by the throw of two cubic (6-sided) dice to space number 63, where it was borne off. The first player borne off, wins.

To bear (or be borne) off, the playing piece has to land on 63 exactly. If the number thrown is higher than necessary, the surplus is counted backwards from the number 63 space. (If the backward move happens to land the piece on a special-marked point that "advanced" movement, the piece continues moving on backwards, instead. At the player's next turn, he could resume his forward movement.)

Most of the special-marked points have a goose on them, hence the name of the game. Landing on a goose allows the player to move his piece the same amount of the roll again, and continue doing such until he no longer landed on a goose. (i.e. If you rolled a 6 and by moving 6 spaces, you landed on a goose, you move 6 more spaces.) Because there is a goose on every multiple of nine, a throw of nine on the first roll would allow a player to advance immediately to space 63 and win, a special rule was made. If a nine is rolled on the first throw, the player advances his piece to space 26 if the numbers on the dice were 6 & 3. If the numbers on the dice were 4 & 5, the piece advanced to space number 53. From these spaces, the player would continue the game. Other special-marked spaces, had different effects.

The special-marked spaces, and their affect on play are:

• 5 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 6 Bridge Move to space number 12

• 9 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 14 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 18 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 19 Inn Lose 2 turns (One drinking, one getting sober)

• 23 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 26 Dice Placement of playing piece if player rolls 6 & 3 on first roll

• 27 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 31 Well Lose 1 turn (Getting refreshing drink)

• 32 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 36 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 41 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 42 Maze Go back to space number 30 (Got lost in maze)

• 45 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 50 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 52 Prison Lose 1 turn (Arrested! What did you do?)

• 53 Dice Placement of playing piece if player rolled 4 & 5 on first roll

• 54 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 58 Skull You died!! Go back to starting point and begin again!!!!

• 59 Goose Repeat movement until not on a goose

• 63 Winning Point (Must land exactly on it.)

There are no captures in the game. Pieces may pass other pieces. If a piece finishes its move on a space already the occupied by a second piece, the second piece is moved back to the space the first piece began its turn on. (i.e. If a player who has a piece on space 20, rolls a 4 he moves his piece to space 24. If space 24 has an opponent's piece on it, the opponents piece is moved back to space 20, and the player's piece remains on space 24.)

Alternate Rule: At its height, the game became a gambling game. Each player made an ante, then each time any player landed on a special-marked space, each player added to the ante. The first player to be borne off, won the pool.