Description

An early and original abstract game for 2 to 4 players, heavily influenced by "Halma / Chinese Checkers" and "Draughts" and meant to fill the challenge-gap between "Draughts" and "Chess".

The board depicts three pyramids of 23 fields each (the 3- and 5-layer appear twice). These pyramids touch each other at the tips in the very center of the board, and are angled in such a way that a hexagonal playing area is created. One player occupies the top 6 fields of each pyramid at the center of the board with 18 black pawns. The remaining pawns are placed on the two base-rows of each pyramid, 10 pawns in 3 colors, one color for each pyramid.

One player plays the beleaguered black pawns and tries to eliminate all other pieces. The remaining player(s) try to occupy one of the 3 center fields with a pawn in their color. The 3-player game is a bit contrived as one player will play 2 outer colors.

Pieces move like draught-pieces: they either move one space or capture a piece by hopping over it to a free field behind it. Pawns from the outer colors can only move or capture sideways or towards the board center (sideways to a neighboring pyramid is also possible). Outer pieces can capture only the black pawns with the same direction restrictions. The black pawns can capture any of the other colors in all directions. A player isn't obliged to capture.

In the opening move the outer colors start, opening with two different pawns per color, then the inner player moves one pawn from each pyramid. From then on, outer colors play one of their pawns in sequence, then the black player can play as many different black pawns as there are outer colors left in play, and these do no longer have to belong to different pyramids. If a player cannot move the turn moves on to the next player in line. Play continues until a victory condition is met.

Publication history: the game originally appeared in 1897 as Ravensburger Spiel Nr. 63 and made a bit of gaming history when it was released. Up until that point Otto Maier had been publishing only classic and widely known games as "Chess", "Halma" and "Reversi". This was the first time he published an original abstract boardgame through his now famous games imprint.

He quickly discovered all the obstacles to success that are still in force today: it is hard to market a game with rules that aren't commonly known, that has no promotional campaign to attract a critical mass of new players, and that has to be sold by salesmen who are unfamiliar with the game. Overall it became a learning experience, one that made him reflect a few years later when the game was withdrawn from sale after a single print-run: "abstract boardgames are harder to market than those who are underpinned by fitting themes and illustrations". This realization might have been the beginning of the paste-on theme solution of which the German (and Euro) games are so often "accused", but which does appear to have a function that is easily overlooked by the "accusers". Themes draw buyers in, and rules are easier to explain when there is a story to tell, especially to younger players.

The original edition was issued in a remarkably lavish production (for that time in the German market) with great attention to detail. Even the board and box were covered with quality imitation-leather. It then disappeared until 1983, when it was reprinted by Spielbox magazine (1983/1, jan-mar) as the sixth game in their emerging "Spiel zum Herausnehmen / Game to Remove" series.