Bladder
Bladder Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setting Up
The BLADDER is placed on the centre diamond in the middle of the board. The two teams (Light and Dark) are set up in rows facing each other (see fig. 1).
1) Play
Dark moves first. Play alternates, with one move per player, per go. Pieces may only be moved one square forward, one square diagonally forward, or one square sideways. At no stage of the game may a piece be moved backwards, or diagonally backwards. Pieces may not jump over other pieces, or occupy the same square as another piece. As soon as play commences, the unoccupied goal squares may be played (moved on) in the same way as all the other squares.
2) Picking Up the Bladder
To pick up the bladder from the centre diamond, it must be surrounded by placing three pieces on any of the four squares around the centre diamond (see fig. 2: Light or Dark may pick up the bladder by surrounding it on ANY THREE of the four squares indicated). The player who picks up the bladder, places it on the head of any of the three pieces used to surround it (player chooses). The point at which the bladder is picked up is known as 'Half Time'. If Dark picks up the bladder from the centre diamond, Light then takes the next turn (as in normal play). However, if Light picks up the bladder from the centre diamond, Light is awarded an extra turn, to be taken immediately.
As with the vast majority of games, someone has to make the first move. With BLADDER, Dark gains a slight advantage by starting the game, the purpose of 'Half Time' is to help level the playing field by allowing Light to 'kick off' the 'second half'. As soon as the bladder has been picked up, the centre diamond plays no further part in the game, i.e. pieces may not be played (moved) on it. Once picked up, the bladder may not be put down again during the game.
2a: If there are not enough vacant squares available to surround the bladder with three pieces, the players must attack and remove the pieces that are preventing the bladder from being picked up (see rule 3 - 'Laming').
3) Laming
To 'lame' a piece (to take - and permanently remove from play), it must be surrounded on any three of the eight squares adjacent to it (i.e. touching at the sides or corners - see fig. 3). Accordingly, the attacking player will have fewer positional options if laming a piece which is in a corner, or next to the edge of the board.
Light (or Dark) may remove their opponent's piece by surrounding it on ANY THREE of the eight squares adjacent to it (fig. 3).
Pieces may not be lamed diagonally (across) the centre diamond until the bladder has been picked up (see fig. 4). Players MAY NOT 'lame' their opponent DIAGONALLY across the centre diamond, before the bladder has been picked up.
Only one piece may be lamed per move. Laming the bladder carrier automatically transfers possession of the bladder to any of the three attacking pieces (player chooses). Once a piece has been surrounded by three attacking pieces, there is no defence - and their piece is permanently removed from the game.
3a: Players may move a piece into a position where it is surrounded by three of their opponent's pieces, without it automatically being lamed (i.e. passive laming is not allowed). To lame the piece, the opponent must move one of his three attackers (or another nearby piece) to create a new (or altered) three-on-one configuration (i.e. only aggressive laming is allowed).
4) Tackling
To tackle for possession of the bladder, the piece carrying the bladder may be challenged by placing two pieces on any of the eight squares adjacent to it (see fig. 5: Dark or Light may tackle their opponent's piece to gain possession of the bladder by surrounding it on ANY TWO of the eight adjacent squares). The bladder is then placed on the head of either (player chooses) of the two pieces used to tackle. Successfully tackling for possession of the bladder concludes the players' turn, the game now continues as before. Remember, 'laming' the bladder carrier (as described in Rule 3) automatically transfers possession of the bladder as well.
5) The Bladder Carrier
Once in possession of the bladder, the player has the option either to move a piece (including the piece carrying the bladder) or pass the bladder to another piece.
5a) The bladder may be passed a maximum of three adjacent squares, in any direction, over the heads of other pieces, as well as open areas. The three squares may be counted in any way (straight, diagonally, 'L' shaped, etc.) provided all three squares touch at either the side or corner (see fig. 6: Dark may pass the bladder to any other dark piece up to a maximum distance of ANY THREE ADJACENT SQUARES).
6) Winning (Scoring a Goal)
The bladder may not be kicked into an open goal. It may either be carried into the goal by the bladder carrier, or passed to another piece which has been successfully manoeuvred into the goal. The first person to score wins the game. N.B. Own goals count, i.e. if a player moves or passes the bladder into their own goal, they have lost the game!
7) Additional
As soon as a piece has reached the far end of the board, it may be turned about face (literally) - and moved back towards its own end of the board. This new direction is counted as forward, and again, these pieces can move in any direction except backwards (i.e. against the way they are facing). If a piece subsequently returns all the way to its own (original) back line, it may be turned about face yet again - and move forward in the usual way. This turn-around tactic may be employed indefinitely.
The squares which protrude at the sides of the board (two on each side) have the same practical use and value as all the other squares. These squares serve to 'open up' the mid-field playing area, allowing more freedom of movement than a traditional chequerboard configuration.
Hints and Tips
- There's safety in numbers. Players' pieces can only defend themselves against 'laming' and removal by the mob by running, unless there are three or more of them grouped together in a protective formation.
- Always keep enough pieces back to defend your goal (remember they cannot move backwards until they reach their opponent's end).
- Don't be in too much of a hurry to pick up the Bladder, wait until you have a strong 'field position'.
- Use the extra side squares (9C, 9D, 10C and 10D) to attack a linear defence.
- Spread play and get men around the back of your opponents team - even if you are not in possession of the bladder.
- Lepers should avoid playing on hard or stoney ground.
More Bladder Games
Or - 'Other Ways to Enjoy your Bladder'
As with any game, there are many ways to play Bladder. Listed below are some ways in which you can just subtly alter the strategic emphasis and some entirely different scenarios. An elegant and challenging variation is to play Bladder without the Two to Tackle rule. This, you will find, calls for a more considered build up, as you will have to leave more men in defence to cope with an attack on goal. For a more dynamic, attacking game though, try playing the normal rules but increasing the distance that you can pass the bladder to four squares; you'll be amazed the difference it makes.
1. 'Real Time Bladder'
To play Real Time Bladder we must give the Bladder Board a grid. Seen from behind the dark team, left to right squares in the main square are numbered '1' to '8'. The back row of the dark team, in end to end terms, is 'A' and moving alphabetically to the other end, the back row of the light team is 'H'. Again, seen from behind the dark team, the two extra flanking squares on the left are number reference 9 (9D and 9E) and the two extra flanking squares on the right are number reference 10 (10D and 10E).
Real Time Bladder is the same as regular Bladder except that instead of players taking their move alternately, they write down their moves (e.g. as both players' possible opening moves, Dark - B4 to C4 and Light - G3 to F4) without letting one another see their 'orders'. They then reveal their moves simultaneously and make their moves together. In the event that both players instruct pieces to move to the same square, the pieces are deemed to have had a clash of heads and both are removed. Any laming or tackling resulting from the moves is done after both players have completed their moves.
If one of the player's moves was to attempt to take possession of the bladder then this player must nominate which piece he intended to carry the bladder as a part of his or her written order. Failure to do so will result in not being allowed to take possession of the bladder that go. If a bladder carrier is the target of a successful laming, then (as with regular Bladder) the aggressor lames (takes) the piece and gets possession of the Bladder - provided of course that said aggressor nominated a carrier themselves.
Players must also state in their written orders when they are attempting to 'tackle' or 'lame' (or both). It is OK to write a lame or tackle order that fails (i.e. there is no penalty for a failed attempt) but if LAME or TACKLE was not added to an order, with the target for the lame or tackle being stated, a player may not remove an opponent's piece or take possession of the bladder - even if the situation that results from the move would otherwise have resulted in one or the other. Only the intended (and stated) targets may be removed or tackled. In other words a player may not accidentally lame or tackle an opponent.
There is no 'Half Time' rule in Real Time Bladder, as neither team goes first. In all other respects, objective, movement etc, Real Time Bladder is the same as Bladder.
2. 'Hidden Hero's Bladder'
Most contests have a magic moment, or one piece of individual brilliance, which is often attributed with being the point at which a game turns in favour of one side. With 'Hidden Hero's Bladder', you can add to your own magic moment by having one piece in your team who is destined to do something "unbelievable" (as Alan Hanson would say).
This super-human feat of medieval majesty is, in Hidden Hero's Bladder, a double move (an extra move straight after a normal move - for one chosen piece). Your potential hero is marked out before the game by secretly (out of sight of your opponent) sticking a small piece of sticky tape (or with a dob of paint - or whatever) on the underside of the chosen player piece. It is then up to you where you place your big 'new signing' in your team before kick-off. You must remember (no checking after kick-off) which piece it is and then choose when during the game, your hero is to execute his (or her) amazing double move. When executing it you must show your opponent the tape or mark as proof that said piece is your hero. If you have lost track of your Hidden Hero and discover, upon declaring that you are about to play its double move, that the piece whose bottom you are showing to your opponent is not marked, you have forfeited your double move for the game. In all other respects Hidden Hero's Bladder is the same as regular Bladder.
You may of course combine 'Hidden Hero's Bladder' with 'Real Time Bladder' or indeed any of the Bladder alternatives... it's up to you!
3. 'Bladder Two's'
'Bladder Two's' is the same as regular Bladder in all respects except that all pieces may move one or two squares (forwards, diagonally forwards (in a straight line only i.e. not like a knight in chess) or sideways). You may of course keep adding to a piece's capabilities numerically but we find that what would be 'Bladder Three's', or more, loses touch with 'reality' and play becomes unsatisfactory.