THEME

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In the heart of an electric Africa, two groups of Dental-birds are competing for the market of five crocodiles. Place your Dental-birds on the crocodiles to get the best combination and earn the most points. Pay attention to the birds you have left.

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GOAL OF THE GAME

 

To gain the most points by taking control of the crocodiles.

 

COMPONENTS

 

- A board with 5 crocodiles of five different lengths (3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 squares) and 2 camps of 12 birds-squares.

 

- 24 pawns divided into two colors ; in each color 6 positive pawns, 6 negative pawns :

 

Green :

Positive : 1+, 2+, 3+, 3+, 4+, 5+

Negative : 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 7-

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Blue : 

Positive : 1+, 2+, 3+, 4+, 5+, 6+

Negative : 1-, 2-, 3-, 3-, 4-, 6-

 

SET UP

 

The 12 pawns of one color are randomly placed on the 12 birds-squares of one side of the board and the 12 pawns of the other color are placed on the birds-squares on the other side of the board. The first player to choose a color begins.

 

HOW TO PLAY

 

Each player in turn places a pawn of his color on one of the squares of a crocodile, according to the number of points and the positive (+) or negative (-) signs.

 

The positive pawns must be placed on the crocodiles bodies from the heads and the negative pawns must be placed from the tails of the crocodiles. According to their values and depending on the availability of the squares on the crocodiles.

 

Placement of the pawns :

 

- A pawn marked 1+ must be placed on the closest square to a head.

- A pawn marked 2+ must be placed on the second square from a head.

- A pawn marked 3+ must be placed on the third square from a head.

and so on ...

- A pawn marked 6+ must be placed on the sixth square from a head.

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- A pawn marked 1- must be placed on the closest square to a tail.

- A pawn marked 2 - must be placed on the second square from a tail.

- A pawn marked 3 - must be placed on the third square from a tail.

and so on ...

- A pawn marked 7- must be placed on the seventh square from a tail.

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You are not obliged to play on the same crocodile as your opponent. You can choose the crocodile you will play on.

 

During the game, it may happen that all the squares corresponding to the placement position indicated by a pawn are occupied ; in this case this pawn may be placed on any free square.

 

FORBIDDEN MOVES

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- It is forbidden to place a pawn on a square that is already occupied. It is therefore no longer possible to play on a crocodile whose squares are already occupied.

 

- It is forbidden to place a pawn on an available square of a crocodile which is not corresponding to the value of the pawn you are playing. To place freely your pawn, all corresponding squares of all crocodiles must be already occupied.

 

TWO FIRST MOVES

 

- On their first and second move, players may play any of their 12 pawns.

 

- Then, from their third move, each player must play a pawn adjacent to a square vacated during the first two moves. The opening is therefore important for the strategy to adopt.

 

CONTROL OF A CROCODILE

 

As soon as 2 pawns are on the same crocodile, whether they are from the same or opposite signs or colors, only one will remain face up and take control of the crocodile, while the other pawn must immediately turn face down.

 

PLACING THE PAWNS ON A CROCODILE

 

If the pawn you place has the same sign of the pawn already on the crocodile (2 positives or 2 negatives). Which both result to a positive value (-+- = +) (+++=+)), the closest pawn to the crocodile's head wins and stays on its square face up. The other pawn is turned over.

 

- If the two pawns have different signs (1 positive and 1 negative). Which results to a negative value (-++ = -)(++- = -)), the closest pawn to the crocodile's tail wins and stays on its square face up. The other pawn is turned over.

 

And so on, each new pawn placed on a crocodile enters into a conflict with the pawn that is already controlling it. At each move, there will be only one pawn that will remain face up.

 

SEQUENCES OF MOVES

 

When a player plays a losing pawn (= one that must immediately be faced down, whether it is of the same color or not), he must play again immediately ; therefore, a series of pawns may be sacrificed to make a decisive move.  Each time you play a pawn that is facing down, you have to play again. 

 

END OF THE GAME

 

The game is over as soon as a player has no more pawn to play on his next turn. 

 

At this moment, the players count their points ; note that at least one square will remain empty at the end of the game.

 

COUNTING THE POINTS

 

Each crocodile scores as many points as its number of squares multiplied by the value of the pawn that controls it.

 

Examples: 

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- The crocodile of 3 squares controlled by a pawn 3 scores 3x3 = 9 points.

- The crocodile of 5 squares controlled by a pawn 4 scores 5X4 = 20 points. 

- The crocodile of 7 squares controlled by a pawn 1 scores 7X1 = 7 points.

 

The player with the highest score wins the game. 

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