Zhadu: Legend of the Sharing Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Board and Spaces
• Stones
  • Stone of One (1s)
  • Stone of Two (2s)
  • Stone of Three (3s)
  • Open Stone (123s)
  • Stone of Four (4s)
  • Removing Stones
• Moving Within and Between Triangles
• The Offering
• Remembering the Sharing
• Notes on the Source

Board and Spaces

The board is a diamond shape with eight triangles engraved on its surface. Each triangle is identical in size to the others. Each triangle has four spaces where a stone may rest: the center and the three corners.

Stones

There are ten stones in total, one of each kind, so that each player will have five to begin with. The five kinds of stone are:

• Stone of One (1s): the smallest of the stones.
• Stone of Two (2s): the next smallest in size.
• Stone of Three (3s): next to the largest in size.
• Open Stone (123s): marked with a circle on its face to distinguish it from the other stones.
• Stone of Four (4s): the largest of the stones.

Stone of One (1s)

• It may only be moved a single space.
• It may remove an opponent's stone when that stone lies within its range. This occurs when the resting place of the opponent's stone is a single space away from your Stone of One.

Stone of Two (2s)

• When travelling with this stone it must be moved two spaces. Each of these two spaces must be unique. Each step must be a new one.
• If another stone lies within its path, you may not pass through it. You must find another way.
• It may only remove an opponent's stone on the last of the two spaces that you are moving to when travelling.

Stone of Three (3s)

• When travelling with this stone, it must be moved three spaces. Each of these spaces must be unique.
• You may not pass through other stones.
• It may only remove an opponent's stone on the last of the three spaces that you are moving to when travelling.

Open Stone (123s)

• When travelling with this stone, it may move one, two or three spaces. Each of these spaces must be unique when travelling two or more.
• As with the others, you may not pass through other stones that lie in its path.
• It may only remove an opponent's stone on the last space it is moving to when travelling.

Stone of Four (4s)

• When travelling with this stone, it must be moved four spaces. Each of these spaces must be unique.
• You may not pass through other stones as well.
• It may only remove an opponent's stone on the last of the four spaces that you are moving to when travelling.

Removing Stones

• As with all stones, you are not permitted to remove more than a single stone when travelling.

Moving Within and Between Triangles

Lines on the board give hint as to where we may travel. It is often true when considering one efforts inside that a triangle.

• When a stone is in the center of a triangle, it may be moved to a corner within that triangle. When this occurs, the stone has been moved a single space.
• When a stone is on the corner of a triangle, it may be moved to another corner within that triangle. When this occurs, the stone has been moved a single space.
• When a stone is on the corner of a triangle, it may be moved to the center within that triangle. When this occurs, the stone has been moved a single space.
• When you seek to travel from one triangle to another, a stone must be moved along the adjacent corners. When this occurs, the stone has been moved a single space.

The Offering

The Offering is the initial stage of Zhadu, in which each player alternates placing one of their stones on the surface. There are five designated spaces on each side of the surface where a stone may be placed.

Remembering the Sharing

Your intention in Zhadu is to "remember the Sharing." The path you choose is determined by the very first stone you remove from your opponent. Each kind of stone has its own unique path, some harder to travel than others.

The Sharing is remembered when the sum value of the first and last stone you capture is equal to four. When you have achieved this goal, the play has ended. Any other stones you capture beforehand remain removed and the play continues.

For instance, if the first stone you capture is the:

• Stone of Four (4s): then you have "remembered the Sharing."
• Open Stone (123s): then you must capture the 1s, 2s or 3s.
• Stone of Three (3s): then you must capture the 1s or the 123s.
• Stone of Two (2s): then you must capture the 123s.
• Stone of One (1s): then you must capture the 3s or the 123s.

Notes on the Source

• The source does not state the turn order of the movement phase, nor how the Offering ends. Neither is given here.
• The source text reads "considering one efforts inside that a triangle" in the passage on lines on the board. It is reproduced as printed.