Kimbo
Kimbo Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object
The object of the game is to be the first player to move, by exact count, all four of his playing pieces into the center square.
Equipment
There are sixteen playing pieces, four each of four different colors; twenty-four fences, six each of four different colors; two dice, and a playing board.
The Board
The playing board has many squares, which are indicated by the various shadings of color and by the slots for the fences. There are four starting areas, one at each corner of the board. In the center is the home area, which has four entrances.
Preparation
Each player sits on a different side of the board. If only two are playing, they should sit on opposite sides of the board. Each player selects four playing pieces of the same color and places one of them in each of the four corner squares. Each contestant then takes the six fences of the same color as his playing pieces, and places them in the six slots marked with black triangles on his side of the board. (See Diagram No. 1)
[Diagram No. 1: Note that each player has one piece in each of the four corners.]
If there are only three players, the entrance to the center square on the side of the board where there is no player is blocked off by inserting three fences of the color not being used. (See Diagram No. 2)
(See Diagram No. 2.)
If only two are playing, the two entrances opposite the sides where there are no players sitting are blocked off. (See Diagram No. 3)
(See Diagram No. 3.)
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY THESE ENTRANCE SQUARES BE USED.
All players roll the dice and the player with the highest roll goes first.
The Play
Before the first player rolls the dice he has the privilege of removing any one of his own fences and placing it in a vacant slot anywhere on the board. He is not required to move a fence but usually will want to, either to help himself or to block an opponent. He then rolls the dice and has a choice of the following moves:
a) He may move one piece the full count of both dice. (See Diagram No. 4)
[Diagram No. 4: Player first moved fence from A to B, then he rolled the dice.]
b) He may move one piece the count of one die and any one of his other pieces the count of the other die. (See Diagram No. 5)
On any one of his turns a player may start his piece in any horizontal or vertical direction which is not blocked by a fence or border line (this includes the black line around the center square except for the four entrances, the lines and arrowheads around the start areas, and the edges of the board). A player may never move in a diagonal direction. Once a player starts in one direction he may NOT change direction on THAT turn EXCEPT when he reaches a fence or a border line head-on. Then he must make a ninety-degree turn EITHER to the right or to the left, and continue in the new direction, unless he reaches another fence or border line. Thus:
A player may always start any man on any turn in any direction, except a diagonal direction, which is not blocked. Once a player starts a piece on any turn, he may not change the direction of that piece on that turn except when the piece reaches a fence or boarder line. THEN THE PIECE MUST TURN EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT EXCEPT WHERE THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS TO REVERSE DIRECTION. A piece can reverse direction if it reaches a space which is surrounded on the other three sides by fences or a combination of fences and boarder lines. No two pieces may occupy the same space (See Capturing an Opponent).
Thus if a move a player wishes to make would place one of his pieces on a space occupied by another one of his pieces, he must make some other move. Players may move their pieces over their own pieces or those of an opponent, counting the occupied space. Whenever possible a player must move the entire count of his throw using either one or two of his pieces on his turn.
Fences
If a player wishes to move one of his fences, he must do so at the start of his turn before rolling the dice. A player may move only one fence on a turn, and he may move only a fence of his own color. A player may place his fence in a vacant slot anywhere on the board. It will become evident during the course of play that fences may be used both offensively and defensively. Thus a fence may be used to block an opponent's piece as well as to help move a player's own piece towards the center square. Players may block off entrance squares or even completely surround another player's piece. As the game progresses, a player's fences will become scattered all over the board.
[Diagram No. 6: Player with light colored piece moves 5, captures dark piece and returns it to any corner on the board, then light colored piece moves 3 and ends his turn.]
Doubles
When a player rolls doubles he may play in the usual manner or he may take any ONE of his own pieces which is against a fence and jump it over that fence to the next square. Whenever a player jumps a fence, he sacrifices his regular move. The jumping rule does not apply to border lines. Hence no piece may ever "jump" into the home square.
Capturing an Opponent
Whenever a player lands any one of his pieces by exact count on a space occupied by an opponent's piece, he returns that opponent's piece to ANY one of the four corner starting places. The piece need not be returned to its original starting corner. For the purpose of capturing an opponent's piece, a player may make use of the count on either or both dice. Thus if a player has a 5 and 3 on the dice and by moving 5 spaces can capture an opponent's piece, he may do so. The player may then move that same piece 3 more spaces, if he does not wish to move one of his other pieces. (See Diagram No. 6) (No piece may return to or pass through any start area except when captured by an opponent's piece.)
FOR THIS REASON THE ARROWS AT THE STARTING AREAS ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS FENCES BY ANY PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED OUT ON THE PLAYING AREA.)
[Diagram No. 7: The player moves from A to B for his 1 and from B into Home for his 4. However, if player had been on B at the start of his turn he still could have moved his piece into Home with the 4 and moved one of his other pieces one space.]
To Enter the Home Space
A player must move his piece into the HOME space through any one of the four openings by exact count of either or both dice. He must be heading straight into the HOME space or be able to turn into the HOME space as the result of hitting a fence. (See Diagram No. 7)
When a player has just one piece remaining to get into the HOME space, he continues to roll two dice. He must use the full count shown on both dice, even though he might have no choice except to move away from HOME, unless he can get the last piece into the HOME space by exact count of either die, in which case he ignores the other die. (See Diagram No. 8) Should a player's last piece be surrounded on all four sides by fences he cannot move unless he rolls doubles. Likewise, if a player's last piece is resting on one of the entrance squares and is surrounded on three sides by his opponents' or his own fences, he may remain there until he rolls a one (1) on one of the dice. However, if one of the fences is removed the player must move his piece away from the entrance unless he rolls a one.
[Diagram No. 8: As this player was able to get his last piece Home with the 6, he ignores the 2 and wins the game.]
The Winner
The first player to get all four of his pieces into the HOME space by exact count wins the game.