Crossing the River

Outline of the game

This game can be played with an ordinary checkers set plus 6 extra pieces. It requires 3 players.

Starting positions

The board represents the river. The red pieces start on the bank by the red player. The black pieces start on the opposite bank. (The banks are off the board, out of the river.) The goal of the red and black players is to move all their pieces to the far bank and out of the river.

The third player controls the 6 extra pieces, known as collectors. Three collectors start on the 3 interior red squares in the third row from the red player. The other 3 collectors start on the 3 interior red squares in the third row from the black player. The collector's goal is to prevent either red or black from winning.

Red plays first, then the collector, then black, then the collector, and so on.

Moves

Each piece on the board (in the river) can be moved one square in any direction. A red or black piece on its own bank can be moved into any square in the first row. A red or black piece in the eighth row can be moved out of the river onto the far bank. (Collector pieces never leave the river.)

A piece can jump onto another piece of either color and ride piggyback. Moving a piece also moves any pieces riding on it (but not any pieces underneath it.)

If a collector jumps onto another piece, that piece is collected and removed from the playing area. (Only the top piece can be collected this way.) The collector piece takes the place of the collected piece.

If a red or black piece jumps onto a collector, that piece is automatically collected along with any piece riding piggyback. This happens on the player's turn; the collector still moves next.

If a piece is moved while a collector is riding piggyback, the collector automatically collects the piece under it. Only one piece is collected (which may itself be riding above the piece that's moved). The piece is collected when the move is made; the collector moves next.

Releasing collected pieces

A red or black piece moving into the last row before the far bank releases one piece of the same color that was previously collected, if there is one. The released piece is placed back on its own bank to try the crossing again.

A piece in the last row can be moved out of the river onto the far bank. In this case the piece is out of the game (and safe from the collector). The piece can be moved back into the river, in which case it might later release another piece. (A piece can also be moved along the eighth row. This does not release a piece.)

Ending the game

Play continues as long as any red or black pieces remain in play. If all of one player's pieces are collected, the other player and the collector continue to play.