Description

Originally an ancient Hindu game for children, Pulijudam is a two player strategy game free from elements of chance. It is almost an abstract strategy game, but one of its alternative names, "Lambs and Tigers", suggests the theme overlaid for children.

Pulijudam is very similar to Bagh Chal and Fox and Geese - it is essentially a member of the Hnefatafl family of asymmetrical abstract games, although of very different origin. One player uses three pieces representing tigers; the other player uses fifteen pieces representing lambs. The initial placement of the three tigers is fixed. The lamb player begins to place his fifteen lambs wherever they wish in the twenty remaining spaces on the board; neither side can move any pieces until all of that type have been placed. Therefore the tigers may begin to move from the third turn while the lambs may only move from the fifteenth turn.

Each piece may move to any vacant adjacent space on the board (effectively orthogonally). Tigers may 'eat' lambs by jumping over an adjacent lamb into a vacant space beyond.

The game is won when the tigers have captured all the lambs or the lambs have encircled the tigers preventing them from moving.