Games of Kings and Soldiers

PASANG EMAS

Traditional - Brunei

Pasang Emas is played on the following board:

The diagonal lines does not have any relevance in the game rules, they are just helpful to arrange one of the traditional setups. Here are two of them:

SETUP - Both players agree on the stone setup. They also agree if the Kas are chosen by slide or jump (read second phase).

FIRST PHASE - The first player captures a column of 5 stones from his half of the board.

If the first player chooses the central column, the second player may choose to remove any of his columns except the central one

If the first player chooses another column, the second player must choose a column from the diagonally opposite sector (check the first sample diagram).

SECOND PHASE

If the players decided to choose by slide, then each player selects a stone horizontally adjacent to his empty cells and move it to the adjacent empty cell. This stone is the Ka.

If the players decided to choose by jump, then each player selects a stone horizontally adjacent to the column adjacent to his empty cells and jump over a stone to the next empty cell. This stone is the Ka.

When the Ka moves to the empty cell (by slide or by jump) it must execute a capture (like in the third phase below).

THIRD PHASE - On each turn, each player moves his Ka. The Ka slides orthogonally thru one or more empty cells into a cell where it will form a line with an odd number of stones of the same color, capturing them.

This line may be separated with empty cells, but not with stones of a different color (which includes the enemy Ka).

If more than one of line is formed, the player may choose one (and just one).

There is another restriction: if the Ka slides vertically, the captured line must be horizontal. if the Ka slides horizontally, the captured line must be vertical.

GOAL - A player wins by:

stalemating the opponent (i.e., leaving him with no valid moves while there are still black or white stones onboard) or

having the highest score when all stones are captured.

A first phase example
First player removed the 5 stones of the third column (3 whites and 2 blacks = 8 points).
Now the second player must remove 5 stones from his own side from the diagonally opposite sector (i.e., from column 'g' to 'k').
If he chooses the marked stones (column 'j') he will get 9 points (4 whites and 1 black stone).
[check next]

A second phase example
If the player choose to select the Ka by slide, then the marked stones are the ones that may be selected (because Ka must execute a capture when it moves to the empty cell).
[check next]

Ka selection and move
The first player choose the Ka (the blue stone) and moved it selecting the three upper black stones to remove (earning 3 points).
Then, the second player also choose the Ka (the red stone) and moved it to the empty cell, selecting the three right white stone to capture (earning 6 points).

[check next]

Third Phase
The first player moved the Ka and captured another three black stones (3 more points).
Then the second player moved his Ka to the right capturing 5 black stones (5 points). Next turn, he cannot move south to capture the five white stones because the movement would be vertical and that group is also vertical.

An endgame
In this position, the score is 85-89 (the second player - the red Ka - is winning).
However, if the first player moves to [1] (capturing the black stone) he will win by stalemate: the red Ka cannot move and there is still one white stone left.

Another endgame
Second player's turn. He moves his red Ka to [1] capturing the black marked stone. The first player can only move to [2] capturing the black stone at b6.
Then, the red Ka moves to a5 (capturing b5) and wins by stalemate.

The rule-set is a bit lengthy (especially to describe the first two phases) but the game is worth the try. There is a very good software to play Pasang Emas made by Pg Nor Jaidi Bin Pg Tuah.

	A first phase example First player removed the 5 stones of the third column (3 whites and 2 blacks = 8 points). Now the second player must remove 5 stones from his own side from the diagonally opposite sector (i.e., from column 'g' to 'k'). If he chooses the marked stones (column 'j') he will get 9 points (4 whites and 1 black stone). [check next]
	A second phase example If the player choose to select the Ka by slide, then the marked stones are the ones that may be selected (because Ka must execute a capture when it moves to the empty cell). [check next]
	Ka selection and move The first player choose the Ka (the blue stone) and moved it selecting the three upper black stones to remove (earning 3 points). Then, the second player also choose the Ka (the red stone) and moved it to the empty cell, selecting the three right white stone to capture (earning 6 points). [check next]
	Third Phase The first player moved the Ka and captured another three black stones (3 more points). Then the second player moved his Ka to the right capturing 5 black stones (5 points). Next turn, he cannot move south to capture the five white stones because the movement would be vertical and that group is also vertical.
	An endgame In this position, the score is 85-89 (the second player - the red Ka - is winning). However, if the first player moves to [1] (capturing the black stone) he will win by stalemate: the red Ka cannot move and there is still one white stone left.
	Another endgame Second player's turn. He moves his red Ka to [1] capturing the black marked stone. The first player can only move to [2] capturing the black stone at b6. Then, the red Ka moves to a5 (capturing b5) and wins by stalemate.