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UCKERS - THE BOARD
Below are links to the four pieces of board that, when printed out and joined, will form the holy uckers board. Simply Blue Peter 'em to a piece of stiff card or wood and Robert is your mothers brother. Read on for the rules of the game. You'll need two standard six sided dice to play this game.
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UCKERS - THE RULES Uckers is a game for either two individuals or two teams of two players. With two players playing Uckers, each player takes two colours, these being in the opposite corners of the board. i.e. Green and Red or Blue and Yellow. With two teams playing, each team takes the opposite corners. The modern LUDO board is ever so slightly different from the traditional board and it only makes a slight difference to the game. The modern board no longer has a relatively safe square situated in the corner between the entry to home and the exit from base. This square is now the exit from base. It's absence as a relatively safe haven should not make all that much difference to the tactics of the game but the traditionalists will, no doubt, view the change with mistrust and concern. There is only a slight difference between the 2 player game and the 4 player game. In the 4 player game, although the two players form a team they play independently of each other in so far as throwing the die, moving the counters and tactics is concerned. In all other respects they are a team and are considered as one player. Confused? A team member throws the die for his own counters and decides which of his own counters to move but if he lands on a square occupied by one of his partner's counters, he does NOT send his partner back to his base but stays on that square and forms a MIXI-BLOB. In the 2 player game, a player can choose which of his two colours he wishes to move AFTER throwing the die. If one of his counters lands on the square occupied by his other colour, it does not send that counter back home, but forms a MIXI-BLOB. When a player throws a six, he is allowed another throw. If that player throws another six he can throw again and so on. A player must move one his counters or challenge, after throwing a six and BEFORE throwing again. A multiple throw can only be used for one particular counter. If a player throws a six and moves a particular counter all subsequent throws in that sequence, must apply to that counter, unless he throws a six and decides to challenge. The challenge can apply to a different counter. Thus a player throws a six and moves a counter, he throws again and it is another six, he can opt to challenge and forgo any further counter moves. If a player throws a six and challenges and his next throw is not a six, he cannot then opt to move a counter for that second throw; the challenge has failed. If a player cannot move the full number shown by the die, he must move a counter which CAN move the full number. If no such counter is available the turn is lost, there are no bounce backs. The die is thrown by each player and the highest throw starts. If more than one player throws the same highest throw, they throw again. A player must throw a six to leave base. And upon throwing a six a player moves one counter out of base and on to the first square at the door to the base. A player must throw the exact score to get HOME. There are no bounce backs. If a player has two or more counters of the same colour on the same square, it forms and is called a BLOB. No one may pass a BLOB except a player's partner or a player's other colour. A player's partner or other colour can land on a BLOB but that changes it to a MIXI-BLOB. An opponent cannot land on a BLOB except after a successful challenge. If a player lands on a square already occupied by the opposition's single counter, the opposition is sent back to their respective base. If a player lands on a square already occupied by a counter, or counters of his other colour or his partner, the occupying counters are NOT sent back to base, but a MIXI-BLOB is formed. If a player lands on a square already occupied by his opponents MIXI-BLOB, all the MIXI-BLOB counters are sent back to base. When a player has a BLOB on the board and the opponent lands on the square immediately behind, at the next turn, the opponent can challenge the BLOB. A challenge is made by throwing consecutively, a six to challenge, and one six for every counter forming the BLOB. If successful, the challenger's counter occupies the square and the BLOB is sent back to base. An opponents BLOB can challenge another BLOB but if successful only ONE counter moves forward. A MIXI-BLOB CANNOT CHALLENGE. If a player throws a six and decides to challenge he says, "Once at you." If his second throw is also a six he says, "Twice at you" and so on until, either the challenge fails (and all the throws are lost) or the challenge succeeds and he says, "Get 'em off." A player does not need to declare a challenge until he has thrown the die. E.g. A player may have one counter behind a BLOB and other counters elsewhere on the board. If that player throws a six he can select whether to challenge or not and if not, he moves another counter. Tactics, skill and luck all play a part in UCKERS and the positioning of a BLOB is crucial if it is to increase a player's chances of winning. It is even more crucial not to get a MIXI-BLOB immediately behind a BLOB because a MIXI-BLOB can do nothing except wait for the BLOB to move. If, as often happens to the less skilful or inexperienced player, a player or team find that they have a MIXI-BLOB containing ALL their counters immediately behind a BLOB, they can do nothing more than sit back and watch. Because they cannot move or even challenge. The MIXI-BLOB team may forgo their turns at throwing the die, until such times as they can move. However, they can if they wish, continue to take their turn at throwing the die even though they cannot use the throw. It does keep the throwing hand IN and keeps the die HOT. Some people, however, consider it bad luck to throw and not be able to use that throw, as they could be using up sixes that they could have been throwing had they been able to move. An additional rule which can be used, is to "save" sixes. That is, if a player throws a six he can save that six by noting it on a piece of paper, for use at a later time. If a player "saves" a six the subsequent throws are lost, therefore only one six per turn can be saved. A player can use any or all of his "saved" sixes at any time providing that they are used BEFORE a throw takes place and only apply to one particular counter. A player can use one or more of his saved sixes on a particular counter but the subsequent throw must also be used for that counter or lost or challenged with. A "saved" six CANNOT be used to challenge with, nor can it form part of the sequence of challenging sixes. Once a player has thrown the die, he cannot then opt to use a saved six. Saved sixes cannot be carried from one game to the next, unless the players agree to do so. | ||||
Revised rules from Nick On the 4 player game, when one player of a team has all his bits home, he can then assist his partner by throwing when he would have taken his own turn. However he must throw one six before he can rejoin the game as an eligible partner, after he has thrown the six he misses that turn but is back in the game to assist from his next go. He can do everything his partner can do but he can only move pieces which are at the start position by throwing a six in the normal manner, or on the way round the board at the start of his turn, once a piece is part way up the chute only the player who's colour it is can move it the rest of the way. Once all the partners pieces are safely in the chute, the partner plays no further part. Submariners Rule Blob Takes Blob, this only applies to double blobs nothing bigger, If a double blob I.e. two bits the same colour is parked between 1 and 6 places behind an opponents double blob and a double is thrown which results in a direct hit you can take the blob, and leave your double blob on the square previously occupied by the opponent. This makes opponents more wary of parking in front because technically if you are 1 square behind with a double you can take a player off either by challenging and sixing him off or by throwing snake eyes. The advantage to blob takes blob rules is that if you do manage to take people off in this fashion you don't have to split your blob as you do with a challenge leaving you vulnerable, plus if you take a blob with a double six you don't have to end your turn as you haven't challenged you have moved. Your explanation of the six rule differs from the way we play nowadays in the fleet, a player can only challenge from the start of his turn, if he moves any piece from the start of his turn he forgoes any right to challenge, but multiple throws to move multiple pieces are allowed (contrary to your explanation) i.e. If I have a single piece or a non mixi blob one square behind you at the start of my turn and I throw a six on my first throw of the turn I can state my challenge after which my turn is over whether successful or not. Or i can get fresh bits out or move another piece but i forgo any right to challenge on that turn. If I do not have a piece in a challenging position or I opt to move another piece I lose the right to challenge, however if I have a piece in a challenging position at the start of my turn and another with only 4 squares running room and I throw a 6 and a 2 I am forced to make the challenge and ignore the 2 because you must always use the biggest number first where possible, I cannot move the restricted piece 2 squares then use the six for a free throw or challenge because a challenge constitutes a turn. If however I am not in a position to challenge and i throw a 6 and a 2 and I have one piece 2 squares away and the other 6 or 2 behind it, I can blob up and still get my free go because I could throw a 1 and be forced to split the blob, or under submariners rules throw a double 2 and take the obstructing blob assuming it is only a double. The Snake Eyes all out rule where a player gets all of his pieces out onto his doorstep if he throws a double one on his first turn of the game is pretty standard too, as is the Snake eyes all back in if he repeats the feat on his second turn he has to put all his bits back in again. Up boarding is considered unsportsmanlike and carries the same penalties as being 8 pieced, whereby the Winner humiliates the loser by making the loser write his name on the back of the board with the date and the who the victor was, then fining him the appropriate amount of beer (submarines - 1 crate etc, which of course the Loser has to drink at a suitable time with the winner and any guests of the winner) This leads to some inexperienced players declaring exhibition matches before playing the more experienced players, as long it is declared before the start of the game it is ok, if the game has commenced with no agreements made, all games are in accordance with mess social rules. Cocky Die rule where one or both of the dice land unevenly due to ship roll, or land off the board results in a full rethrow, you cant just throw the bad one again. If you get 3 cocky die calls on the same turn you forfeit your go. Timber Shifting, i.e. Cheating, is only illegal if caught and proven, I.e. trimming numbers off your throw, or adding on, moving bits when the opponent is not watching. Leaving the game for any reason without cover is deemed as an up board, unless all agree to abandon the game. Cheers for those Nick ;-)) |
