Co Ganh rules and tips
Co Ganh is a traditional game from central Vietnam, played on a 5x5 grid. Nothing ever leaves the board: captured pieces simply change sides, so a game can turn around in a single move. Rules differ between villages, so this page describes the version played on Chess Arena.
The rules
- Each player has eight pieces arranged around the edge of the board.
- A piece moves one step along a line. Points whose coordinates add up to an even number have diagonal lines as well.
- Ganh (carrying): move between two enemy pieces in a straight line and both become yours. This counts on every line through the point, so one move can take four or six pieces.
- Vay (surrounding): after that, any enemy group with no empty point next to it also becomes yours.
- Mo (forced move): if your opponent has just left a point and moving into it would carry two pieces, you must move there.
- A player with no pieces left loses. After a threefold repetition or 160 moves, the pieces are counted and the larger side wins.
First steps to improve
- The points with diagonals are worth more: they have eight neighbours, others only four.
- Keep your pieces from standing one point apart on a line. That gap is exactly what your opponent wants to step into.
- Use the forced move: step away on purpose to pull an enemy piece where you want it.