Rules

The game is played on an 8×8 board laid out as a diamond.

• Four players are positioned at the corners of the board.

• Players form two teams of two (2v2). Opposite players are allies.

• One team plays White, the other plays Black.

Within each team, one player controls upright pieces and the other controls flipped pieces. Each player has 9 pieces.

Within each team, one player controls upright pieces and the other controls flipped pieces. Each player has 9 pieces.

• Territory: The starting setup is a 3×3 square in the player's corner (one piece per square).

• Capital: Each player's corner square is that player's Capital.

A team wins in either of two ways:

1. Capture the Capitals of both opponents.

2. Remove all of their pieces from the board.

• White (upright pieces) moves first.

• Turns proceed clockwise.

• 4 turns (2 turns per team) make one cycle.

Hunger Epoch: Every 4th cycle is the Hunger Epoch. Watch the indicator above the board.

• A single piece moves 1 square in any of the 8 directions (orthogonal or diagonal).

• Chain jumps are allowed in all directions over own pieces, allied pieces, and opponent pieces.

• Any opponent pieces jumped over are removed from the board.

• Captures are optional. Capturing the maximum number in a chain is also optional.

• In a chain jump, the same piece may not be jumped over twice.

Important: Within a single turn, jumps over own/allied pieces cannot be combined with jumps over opponent pieces (Exception: The "Ram" case).

Normal Cycle: Captured opponent pieces go to the Cage of the player who captured them.

Hunger Epoch: Captured opponent pieces go to the Altar of the player who captured them.

If a player makes a non-attacking move during the Hunger Epoch, and that player's Altar was not filled in the current cycle, that player must make a sacrifice:

1. Move one captured opponent piece from the Cage to the Altar (automatic if Cage is not empty).

2. Or remove one of player's own pieces from the board to the Altar (if Cage is empty).

• The sacrifice effect lasts until the end of the cycle.

• Any piece added to the Altar (even via attack) counts as a sacrifice.

A player may move onto a square occupied by an allied piece to form a Ram.

• The top piece is flipped.

• Control belongs to the ally whose piece is on the bottom.

Ram Rules:

• Moves 1 square in any direction. Cannot make chain jumps.

• Cannot be captured by a single piece in a single jump.

• Own/Allied Rams can be jumped over like single pieces.

Destroying a Ram:

• An opponent's Ram can be neutralized by a single piece only as part of a chain jump, provided at least one jump was made earlier in the chain.

  • This is the only case where jumps over allies and opponents can be combined.

  • The chain ends immediately after jumping the Ram.

  • The top piece is removed; the Ram reverts to a single piece.

• Ram vs Ram: The opponent's Ram is completely destroyed (both pieces removed).

Dismantling: Double-tap a Ram to dismantle it. The top piece is placed on an adjacent square.

If two allied pieces are adjacent, Synergy activates and grants two additional interaction options:

1. Transfer: Give one captured piece from your Cage to your ally (tap the flashing Cage grid). Doesn't take a turn.

2. Pass Turn: Pass the turn to the ally by sacrificing one piece from your Cage (tap the highlighted ally icon).

If an opponent enters a player's Capital, that player is eliminated.

• Pieces inside the Territory are removed.

• Pieces outside the Territory come under the control of the eliminated player's ally.

• Releasing Prisoners: Capturing a Capital releases all pieces held in the defeated player's Cage back to their owners (placed in the defeated Territory). 

After each game:

• +2 for each opponent piece in the winning team's Cages.

• +1 for each opponent piece on Altars.

• –1 for each own piece on Altars.

Teams swap colors. Match ends after an even number of games.