Off to the Tower Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Setup
• How the Game Is Played
  • Field of Your Own Colour
  • Capturing an Opponent's Stone
  • Release from the Tower
  • Obstacle
  • Goal Fields
• Winner

Setup

The game board is assembled from six pieces, and the tower is placed on the marked spot at the start.

If two or three players take part, each player receives two stones in the colour he has chosen. With four players, each player receives one stone. All game stones are placed in the wall opening at the start.

How the Game Is Played

Players throw the dice in turn. The youngest player begins. Both dice are always thrown together. Only the points of one of the two dice may be used. Choose the number of points that seems most favourable, since with it you can capture a stone of an opponent or reach a field of your own colour.

Field of Your Own Colour

If a player lands on a field of his own colour, he may throw the dice once more.

A player may always move freely which of his two own stones he wants to move. There are, however, two exceptions:

1. Stones at the start must be moved first. If a player forgets this, whoever notices it may put this forgotten stone into the tower.
2. Two of your own stones may not stand on the same field at the same time. If a player lands on such a field with the throw of the dice, the points may not be used. If no other move can then be made, the throw is forfeited.

Capturing an Opponent's Stone

If a player lands on a field where a stone of an opponent already stands, that stone is captured and put into the tower.

Release from the Tower

1. A captured game stone is freed when a second stone is put into the tower. This second stone is placed on the first one and pressed lightly downward. The first stone then springs out from under the foot of the tower and is set back at the start.
2. A captured game stone is also freed when the player to whom the stone belongs throws a six. A light push with the finger is then sufficient. The player may immediately move the freed stone onto the sixth playing field. That field is marked with a star, which means that no colour applies there, so the player may not throw the dice again on that field.

Obstacle

The race track describes a loop, which must be travelled in that direction. At the crossing point there is a field with a star. If a player has a stone on that field, the track is closed to all other players.

A player's own stone may of course pass. Other players must wait, and their throw is forfeited.

An obstacle can only be removed if a player lands exactly on the field and captures the stone.

Goal Fields

The goal fields behind the gate must be reached with a direct throw, i.e. no die points may be left over. The goal fields in the colours of the other players do not count.

For example, a player who stands on the last blue field before the gate needs a 1 to reach the goal. A player who stands on the green field before the gate needs a 2.

Winner

The winner is the player who first brings both of his game stones (with four players, one game stone) onto the goal field of his own colour.