Royal Game of Ur

The Royal Game of Ur is one of the oldest known board games, originating from ancient Mesopotamia around 2600 BCE. Also known as the "Game of Twenty Squares," it was a popular pastime in the Middle East for over three millennia. The game combines elements of strategy and luck, and it is designed for two players.

I'm still waiting for AMS therefore I've printed board in one colour. I'm planning to make it as a box to contain all the pieces (design in progress). Hope you enjoy what I have so far.

Game Components

• Board: The board consists of 20 squares arranged in a specific pattern:
  • A main block of 12 squares (3 rows of 4 squares).

  • A bridge of 2 squares connecting to a smaller block of 6 squares (3 rows of 2 squares).

     

-- these elements are waiting for AMS --

• Pieces: Each player has 7 pieces, distinguishable by color or shape.
• Dice/Sticks: Traditionally, four tetrahedral (pyramid-shaped) dice were used, with two of their four corners marked. Modern adaptations often use binary dice (four dice that can land on either a marked side [1] or an unmarked side [0]).

Objective

Be the first player to move all seven of your pieces along the designated path and off the board.

Setup

1. Starting Position:
   • All pieces begin off the board.
   • Players decide who goes first, typically by rolling the dice; the highest roll starts.

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   • On your turn, roll all four dice.
   • Count the number of marked sides facing up; this number (ranging from 0 to 4) is your movement value.
   • A roll resulting in zero may grant an additional turn in some variations, but commonly, you forfeit your turn.
2. Entering the Board:
   • To bring a new piece onto the board, you must roll a 1, 2, 3, or 4.
   • Place the piece on your designated starting square corresponding to the movement value.
3. Moving Pieces:
   • You can choose to:
     • Introduce a new piece onto the board using the movement value.
     • Move an existing piece already on the board forward by the movement value.
   • Pieces move along a specific path unique to each player but share common squares in the middle section of the board.
4. Path of Movement:
   • Player One Path: Starts on the top row of the main block, moves right to left, proceeds down the central shared row via the bridge, and exits through their side of the smaller block.
   • Player Two Path: Starts on the bottom row, moves left to right, enters the central shared row, and exits similarly.
5. Capturing Opponent's Pieces:
   • If you land on a square occupied by your opponent's piece (except on rosettes), you capture it.
   • The captured piece is removed from the board and must restart from the beginning.
6. Safe Squares - Rosettes:
   • There are five special squares marked with rosettes:
     • Landing on a rosette grants you an extra turn.
     • Pieces on rosettes cannot be captured.
   • The rosettes are located at specific points on the board, usually the fourth square on the main block, the middle square on the bridge, and the last square before exiting.
7. Exiting the Board:
   • To remove a piece from the board, you must land it exactly on the final square of your path.
   • An exact roll is required; you cannot move beyond the last square.
8. Blocked Moves:
   • You cannot land on a square occupied by your own piece.
   • If no legal moves are possible with the rolled number, your turn ends.

Winning the Game

• The first player to successfully move all seven of their pieces off the board wins.

Additional Notes

• Strategy vs. Luck: While dice rolls introduce chance, strategic decisions about which pieces to move and when to capture opponents add depth to the game.
• Historical Significance: The game was not only a form of entertainment but also held religious and symbolic meanings in ancient cultures.

Example Turn

1. Player A rolls the dice and gets a total of 3.
2. Choices for Player A:
   • Introduce a new piece onto the board by placing it three squares from the starting point.
   • Move an existing piece forward by three squares.
3. Player A decides to move an existing piece, landing on an opponent's piece.
   • The opponent's piece is captured and removed from the board.
4. Since Player A did not land on a rosette, the turn passes to Player B.

Tips for Playing

• Prioritize Safety: Try to land on rosettes when possible to protect your pieces and earn extra turns.
• Manage Risks: Weigh the benefits of advancing a piece quickly against the risk of it being captured.
• Block Opponents: Use your pieces to block key squares and hinder your opponent's progress.

Design by Ralphi on MakerWorld (license: BY).