Game3

NYOUT

compiled and redacted by Modar Neznanich

Nyout is an ancient game, originating in the area currently known as Korea. It is a game that can be played by two, three or four players. Based on horse racing, it's playing surface is shaped as a circle inscribed with a cross. The circle and the cross are composed of circles that act as playing spaces. The center circle and the circles at the cardinal points are larger than the rest of the circles.

The object of the game is to enter your pieces onto the board, move them around the board and bear them off. The player to bear all of their pieces off first wins.

The entry and exit point is the small circle to the left of the top large circle and is called the Chut. Pieces travel widdershins (counter-clockwise) around the board.

Two-Player Nyout

If two people are playing, each player gets four playing pieces, called horses. Players determine the order they go in by a throw of the casting sticks (highest throw goes first).

The casting sticks are composed of four sticks, each with a light and a dark side. The sticks are shaken in a player's hand and then dropped (cast). The number of light sides showing is the number of moves a player must move one of their horses (from 1 to 4). If no light sides are shown (all four sticks show dark sides) a player must move one of their horses 5 spaces.

Horses enter the Chut on any throw value.

Each circle space (including the Chut) counts as a move of one.

A throw of four or five allows another throw.

Finishing a move on a large circle allows a player to change the direction his horse is going, and on the next move take a shortcut using the paths through the center of the circle, if desired. If a horse taking a shortcut through the circle ends up on the opposite side of the circle with movement still to do they, the horse must turn widdershins (counter-clockwise) and finish out its movement. Use of shortcuts is not required.

If a player's horse finishes a move on a space that already has a rival horse there, the rival horse is considered to be "kicked", and it is removed from the board and must begin again. If a player has a horse finish a move on a space that has two or more rival horses there, all rival horses are considered to be "kicked", and all are removed from the board and must begin again. The player who "kicks" another horse or horses off the board gets an additional turn. They receive only one additional turn no matter how many horses were "kicked".

If a player's horse finishes a move on a space that already has one of his own horses there, the player may (if desired) pair the two and have them move as one piece from then on. No more than two pieces may be paired together. If a player has a horse finish a move on a space that has two or more of his own horses there, he may pair pieces (if desired) provided they are not already paired.

An exact throw is NOT required to bear a horse off the board. If a horse is borne off, with movement left, the extra movement is lost.

Three-Player Nyout

The rules are the same if three people are playing, except that each player gets three horses apiece instead of four. Players determine the order they go in by a throw of the casting sticks (highest throw goes first).

The casting casting sticks are composed of four sticks, each with a light and a dark side. The sticks are shaken in a player's hand and then dropped (cast). The number of light sides showing is the number of moves a player must move one of their horses (from 1 to 4). If no light sides are shown (all four sticks show dark sides) a player must move one of their horses 5 spaces.

Horses enter the Chut on any throw value.

Each circle space (including the Chut) counts as a move of one.

A throw of four or five allows another throw.

An exact throw is NOT required to bear a horse off the board. If a horse is borne off, with movement left, the extra movement is lost.

Four-Player Nyout

If four people are playing, there are slightly different rules. First, each player gets two horses instead of four. Players form teams of two players each. Players still determine the order they go in by a throw of the casting sticks (highest throw goes first). Thus a team might go first & second, first & third, first & fourth, second & third, second & fourth or third & fourth.

Horses enter the Chut on any throw value.

Each circle space (including the Chut) counts as a move of one.

A throw of four or five allows another throw.

A PARTNER IN A TEAM MAY MOVE HIS OWN HORSE OR ONE OF HIS TEAMMATE'S HORSES.

Teammate horses do not count as rival horses. Teammate horses may share a space.

A player may NOT pair one of his horses with a teammate's horse.

An exact throw is NOT required to bear a horse off the board. If a horse is borne off, with movement left, the extra movement is lost.

ALTERNATE RULES

As with many games, variations have formed over time. Two alternate rules have developed for Nyout. They may be used singularly or together. They are:

If a throw of four or five is made, the player does not immediately move a horse, but instead makes an additional cast, adds the two casts together then splits the total any way desired among any or all of their horses.

Each player sits by a cardinal point (large circle) and has their own Chut (starting/exit point) that is the first small circle to the left of the cardinal point opposite the one they are sitting by.

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