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| Updated 5/27/03 |
| Note: The rules on this
page reflect the most current version available,
and may differ slightly from previously printed rules. |
|
| An Ancient Mystery |
| Form a triangle while preventing
your opponent from forming one first. This fun and easy
to learn game will test your skill and strategies for
years to come. |
| What's in the Box |
- Wooden Game Board
- 6 Red Balls (5 Game Balls, 1 Spare Ball)
- 6 Blue Balls (5 Game Balls, 1 Spare Ball)
- 2 Signal Pegs (1 for red and 1 for blue)
- Quick Play Rules
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| Description of the Board |
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The board has four square "quads."
Each quad has 5 "points" (small depressions where a ball
can rest) making a total of 20 points on the board. The
points are connected by a series of passages that allow
a ball to move between adjacent points. There are two
holes for "signal pegs" at opposite corners of the board.
The quads next to each of these holes are called the "initial
quads" because these two quads are filled with the balls
at the beginning of the game. |
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Initial
Positions  |
| The Object of Quadtria |
| |
Move your game balls from your
initial quad to form a triangle in any one of the other
three pyramid quads. The first player to create a "Quadtria,"
that is, get 3 balls aligned in a triangle formation inside
one of these quads, wins the game. Once you have cleared
all 5 of your game balls out of your initial quad, you
can win by forming a Quadtria there, as well. |
| |
There are 2 types of Quadtrias
(triangles) you can make. The first consists of occupying
any two adjacent corner points of the same quad and the
center point of that quad. The second consists of any
3 corner points of the same quad. [see diagrams below] |
| |
The square in the center of
the board is not a quad, and a triangle made there is
not a Quadtria. |
| |
| Examples of "Quadtrias"
created by |
 |
|
| Setting Up |
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Sit across from your opponent
with the board positioned so that each of you has a hole
for a signal peg at your right-hand side. |
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Choose colors. Each player gets
5 balls of one color and the signal peg of the same color.
Note that only half of each signal peg is painted with
a color, the other half is natural wood color (unpainted). |
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Insert your signal peg into
the hole on your side of the board so that your color
is showing. Then place your 5 game balls onto the 5 points
of your initial quad. Your opponent does likewise on the
other side of the board. [see diagram of initial position] |
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|
| Playing the Game |
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Decide who will move first.
Players then take turns making moves until one player
wins by making a Quadtria (or the players decide that
the game cannot be won). |
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On your turn, move any one of
your game balls to an adjacent empty point along a passageway. |
| |
• |
You may move your ball in any direction:
forwards, backwards, sideways, or diagonally as long as
the move is along one of the passageways. |
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• |
You may move only a ball of your color,
and only one ball per turn. |
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• |
You may not move a ball to a point that
is occupied by another ball. |
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• |
You may not jump over any balls or capture
any balls. No balls are ever removed from the game. |
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• |
Your move ends at the first point the ball
reaches. |
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When it is your turn, you must
move a ball if you can. In the unlikely event that you
cannot move because all of the points adjacent to your
balls are blocked by other balls, skip your turn and your
opponent moves. You then try to move on your next turn. |
| |
Using the Signal Peg: As mentioned under
Object of the Game, a triangle in your initial quad is
not a Quadtria unless you have first cleared all 5 of
your balls out of that quad. That is, they must all be
out of the quad at the same time, so it contains none
of your balls. To signal that the quad has been cleared,
turn over your signal peg when you move the last ball
out. Your signal peg will no longer show your color, but
rather the neutral wood color. You now can win by creating
a Quadtria in your initial quad as well as in any of the
other 3 quads. [see diagrams below] |
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| The 5th
has just moved out of its initial quad, so the signal
peg is turned over to show neutral. |
|
Now
can return to the initial quad to win. |
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| Winning the Game |
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The first player to make a Quadtria
wins. |
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