the official attangle rules

This version: October 1, 2006
Initial version: May 20, 2006

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Germany License.

introduction

Attangle is an abstract stacking game for 2 players. This last game concludes Dieter Stein's Stacking Game Trilogy.

equipment

A hexagonal board with 4 spaces on each side (37 spaces), and
a sufficient amount of stackable pieces in white and black for each of the two players

object of the game

Be the first to build 3 stacks of your color which are 5 pieces high.

sequence of play

(In the following the concept of “pieces” is used for single pieces as well as for stacks.)

Figure 1 – Initially the board is empty.

White makes the first move. Then turns alternate.

When it is your turn you can either:

Place a single piece of your color from outside the board at any empty space (pieces are placed at the intersections of the lines), or
capture an opponent’s piece on the board.

Exception: In the very first move, White cannot place a piece on the center at d4 (rule change as of Oct 1, 2006).

You cannot pass your turn.

To capture an opponent piece you move pieces of your color on top of an opponent piece. Pieces can be moved in a straight line any number of spaces. They cannot jump other pieces. Place the moving pieces on top of the opponent piece.

A stack of pieces is said to be “of your color” if the topmost piece is of your color.

Note:

The capturing pieces move at the same time, so your pieces must come from different directions (because they cannot jump).
After the capture your pieces must have a majority by 1 piece in the resulting stack (i.e. 2-1 or 3-2).
Stacks cannot grow larger than 5 pieces high.
Stacks cannot be split.

Figure 2 – Two single pieces capture a single opponent piece.

Figure 3 – Stacks can capture too.

Figure 4 – Stacks of height 3 can be captured.

Figure 5 – No captures possible.

end of the game

As soon as you succeed in building up your third 5-stack, you win.