Rules of the Game
1. Introduction
Opprimo is a board game played between two players. It is a game of skill and strategy which can normally be played in under 20 minutes. At the start of the game, the players command a force of ten pieces called Soldiers which they try to maneuver through the board to gain positional advantage to penetrate enemy lines, convert enemy pieces to their side, promote Soldiers to Knights, and eventually surround the enemy’s most vital piece, the King.
One unique characteristic of the game is that from the game’s start to its end, all Soldiers take an active part in the battle. No Soldier is removed from the board except when it is replaced by a Knight when promoted. Since the pieces can change sides, the players will at times find their respective forces either depleted or reinforced. This characteristic is what makes Opprimo intriguing, challenging, and entertaining to players young and old alike.
Opprimo is a board game played between two players. It is a game of skill and strategy which can normally be played in under 20 minutes. At the start of the game, the players command a force of ten pieces called Soldiers which they try to maneuver through the board to gain positional advantage to penetrate enemy lines, convert enemy pieces to their side, promote Soldiers to Knights, and eventually surround the enemy’s most vital piece, the King.
One unique characteristic of the game is that from the game’s start to its end, all Soldiers take an active part in the battle. No Soldier is removed from the board except when it is replaced by a Knight when promoted. Since the pieces can change sides, the players will at times find their respective forces either depleted or reinforced. This characteristic is what makes Opprimo intriguing, challenging, and entertaining to players young and old alike.
2. The Board
The game is played on a board composed of sixty-six (66) triangles (Figure 1). The areas bounded by colored lines are the Castles or territories occupied by the two contending forces at the start of the game.
The game is played on a board composed of sixty-six (66) triangles (Figure 1). The areas bounded by colored lines are the Castles or territories occupied by the two contending forces at the start of the game.
Figure 1. The Game Board with the colored areas showing the opposing Castles.
3. The Pieces
There are eleven active pieces on each side composed of ten Soldiers, all equal rank, and one King. One player gets the yellow pieces and the other the red pieces.
There are also 20 Knights (10 yellow and 10 red), each of which is placed on the board whenever a Soldier has been promoted. Fig. 2 shows an example of the playing pieces.
There are eleven active pieces on each side composed of ten Soldiers, all equal rank, and one King. One player gets the yellow pieces and the other the red pieces.
There are also 20 Knights (10 yellow and 10 red), each of which is placed on the board whenever a Soldier has been promoted. Fig. 2 shows an example of the playing pieces.
Figure 2. The Pieces
4. The Objective of the Game
The objective of the game is to surround or trap the opponent's King (Figure 3). The King is said to be surrounded when the three points of the triangle on which it stands are occupied by the opponent's Soldiers or Knights or a combination of both.
The objective of the game is to surround or trap the opponent's King (Figure 3). The King is said to be surrounded when the three points of the triangle on which it stands are occupied by the opponent's Soldiers or Knights or a combination of both.
Figure 3. The objective of the game is to surround the opposing King.
5. Start of the Game
To start the game the players set up the board by laying it flat on an even surface. Then they arrange their pieces on the board as shown in Figure 1. The Soldiers are placed on the corners of the triangles. Printed on the board are small yellow and red dots to assist the players in positioning their pieces at the start. The King is placed inside a triangle.
The player with the yellow pieces always makes the first move. The play proceeds with the players making alternate moves.
6. Movements of the Pieces
A Soldier moves along the lines in a FORWARD DIRECTION ONLY, one step at a time, from one intersection to another, vertically or diagonally (Figure 4a).
To start the game the players set up the board by laying it flat on an even surface. Then they arrange their pieces on the board as shown in Figure 1. The Soldiers are placed on the corners of the triangles. Printed on the board are small yellow and red dots to assist the players in positioning their pieces at the start. The King is placed inside a triangle.
The player with the yellow pieces always makes the first move. The play proceeds with the players making alternate moves.
6. Movements of the Pieces
A Soldier moves along the lines in a FORWARD DIRECTION ONLY, one step at a time, from one intersection to another, vertically or diagonally (Figure 4a).
Figure 4a. A Soldier can move forward only, one intersection at a time.
The King also moves one step at a time to any triangle adjacent (side-by-side) to it. It cannot, however, step outside of its own Castle. Figure 4b shows the movements of the King. The King’s move constitutes one legal move and, therefore, the next move belongs to the opposing player. Thus, the King and the Soldier or Knight cannot be moved at the same time.

Figure 4b. Movements of the King.