Overview

GIPF is a two-player abstract strategy game and the central game of the GIPF project series. Players push pieces onto a hexagonal board from the edges, attempting to line up 4 of their own color in a row to capture them (returning own pieces to reserve) along with any opponent pieces extending the row. The goal is to deplete the opponent’s reserve so they cannot make a move. The game features three rule sets of increasing complexity: Basic, Standard, and Tournament.

Components

• 1 game board (hexagonal grid with 37 spots and 24 edge dots)
• 18 white basic pieces
• 18 black basic pieces
• 1 bag
• 1 rulebook

Setup

Basic Game

1. Draw lots for color. White goes first.
2. Each player uses 15 pieces (remaining 3 can handicap: give the weaker player 1-3 extra).
3. Place the board with dot “E1” pointing at the white player.
4. Each player places 3 pieces on alternating angular dots, then pushes them to the first spot toward center — this is the starting position.
5. Each player has 12 pieces in reserve.

Standard Game

Same starting position, but pieces on the board start as GIPF-pieces (2 basic pieces stacked). Each player uses all 18 pieces (3 GIPF-pieces on board = 6 basic pieces, leaving 12 in reserve).

Tournament Game

The board starts empty. Each player has 18 basic pieces in reserve. Both players must use their first turn to bring a GIPF-piece into play. Players may continue placing GIPF-pieces until they play their first single basic piece, after which no more GIPF-pieces may be introduced.

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. Each turn has exactly 2 steps:

Step 1 — Place

Take a piece from your reserve and place it on any of the 24 dots at the board’s edge.

Step 2 — Push

Push the piece from the dot onto the adjacent spot in the play area:

• If the target spot is empty, the piece simply occupies it.
• If the target spot is occupied, push all pieces in that line over by one spot each. Move pieces starting from the farthest in the row.

Restrictions:

• A piece moves only one spot at a time.
• You cannot push a piece off the far end of a line (out of the play area).
• Once you touch a piece in the play area, the move must be executed.

Actions

The only action each turn is placing and pushing a piece. However, capturing (taking pieces) happens automatically as a consequence of moves.

Taking Pieces (Capturing)

When 4 pieces of the same color are lined up adjacent to each other:

1. The player of that color must remove those 4 pieces from the board.
2. Any pieces forming a direct extension of the row (regardless of color) are also removed.
3. Own pieces return to the reserve. Opponent’s pieces are captured (permanently lost).

Capture Rules:

• A vacant spot interrupts a row — only connected pieces in the line are removed.
• Capturing is compulsory — as soon as 4 in a row exist, they must be taken.
• If a move creates rows for both players, the player who made the move captures first.
• If multiple non-intersecting rows exist, all must be captured. If they intersect, the player chooses which row to take.
• Removing pieces does not count as a turn.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Basic Game

A player wins when the opponent has no pieces in reserve and cannot make a move.

Standard Game

A player wins by either:

• Capturing all of the opponent’s GIPF-pieces (removing all from the board), OR
• Exhausting the opponent’s reserve (no basic pieces left to bring into play)

Tournament Game

Same win conditions as Standard Game.

No ties are possible. The first player to run out of pieces loses, even if the other player would also run out next turn.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

GIPF-Pieces (Standard and Tournament Rules)

• A GIPF-piece = 2 basic pieces stacked. On the board it counts as 1 piece.
• When a GIPF-piece is part of a row being captured, taking it is optional (unlike basic pieces, which are mandatory).
• A player must always have at least 1 GIPF-piece on the board.
• When capturing your own GIPF-piece, it returns as 2 separate basic pieces to reserve. It cannot be replayed as a GIPF-piece.
• If 2 rows intersect at a GIPF-piece, the player may choose: take one row including the GIPF-piece (eliminating the second row’s trigger), or leave the GIPF-piece and must take both rows.

Tournament Rules Specifics

• First move must be a GIPF-piece.
• Once a player plays their first single basic piece, they cannot introduce any more GIPF-pieces for the rest of the game.
• No fixed number of GIPF-pieces — players decide freely how many to commit early.

General Edge Cases

• Players should always keep their reserve visible to the opponent.
• A player may capture their own pieces (to replenish their reserve) by lining up 4 of their own color.
• The handicap system allows weaker players to start with 1-3 extra pieces.

GIPF Project (Potentials)

GIPF can be expanded with potentials from other games in the series (ZERTZ, DVONN, YINSH, PUNCT, TAMSK). Potentials are extra pieces “loaded” onto basic pieces that allow special moves. Using a potential may require winning the corresponding game first. This is entirely optional.

Player Reference

Turn Summary:

1. Place a piece from reserve onto any edge dot
2. Push it onto the adjacent spot (shifting pieces in the line if occupied)
3. If 4+ same-color pieces line up, capture them (mandatory)

Key Numbers: | Item | Count | |——|——-| | Board spots | 37 | | Edge dots | 24 | | Basic pieces per player | 18 | | Starting board pieces (Basic) | 3 per player | | Reserve pieces (Basic) | 12 per player | | Pieces needed for capture | 4 in a row |

Win Conditions:

• Basic: Opponent has no reserve pieces
• Standard/Tournament: Opponent has no reserve pieces OR no GIPF-pieces on board