Fox & Geese
compiled by Modar Neznanich
HISTORY:
Fox and Geese belongs to the group of games known collectively as Tafl in which there are battles fought out by two forces of unequal power. Tafl games appear to have originated in Northern Europe. Mention is made of one as far back as AD 1300 in the Icelandic 'Grettis Saga'. Most likely they date back to BC.
RULES:
One player elects to be the fox and the other the geese. The geese (the thirteen counters of one color) should be placed so as to fill up all the points on one side of the board, as shown in the diagram. The fox (the one counter of the other color) can be placed on any vacant point remaining. The fox moves first. On their turn, each side may move one counter. Both fox and geese can move along a line, forwards, backwards, or sideways, to the next contiguous point.
The fox may move along a line or jump over a goose to an empty point, capturing the goose and removing it from the board. Two or more geese may be captured by the fox in one turn, providing that he is able to jump to an empty point after each one. The fox wins if he depletes the gaggle of geese to a number that makes it impossible for them to trap him.
The geese cannot jump over the fox or capture the fox. They must try to mob him and hem him into a corner making it impossible for him to move. The geese win if they succeed in immobilizing the fox.
DIAGRAM:
Fox and Geese board
Board set up (Geese in green, Fox in red)
©1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Ron Knight
Baron Modar
Neznanich, OPel
Permission
to Print.
e-mail: modar@everestkc.net