Step 1: count both routes
A pawn’s route is the number of steps it needs to reach its goal row by the shortest way, going round any walls.
Counting gets quick with practice. Look for the straight line, then add one step for every wall that forces a sidestep.
Step 2: compare them
It is your move. You arrive first if your route is no longer than your rival’s.
| On your move | Who arrives first |
|---|---|
| You need 4, they need 5 | You do, by a step. |
| You need 5, they need 5 | You do, because you move first. |
| You need 5, they need 4 | They do. You are 1 step behind. |
This leaves out walls and jumps still to come, which is where the game gets interesting.
Step 3: walk or wall
- Level or ahead?Keep walking. Every step you take brings the finish closer, and a wall would cost you a turn.
- Behind?Walking won’t fix it. You need a wall that wins back more than the gap: its gain (the steps it adds to your rival) minus its cost (the steps it adds to you) has to be bigger than the number of steps you are behind. One step behind means a wall that nets at least 2.
Why a wall in the open rarely helps
Put a wall right in front of a pawn on an open board and it simply steps round it.
Check whose route the wall touches, too. When both pawns are in the same column, a wall across that column slows you as well.
Where a wall pays
A wall is worth most when your rival has no room to sidestep: against an edge, or against walls already on the board.
See wall patterns for the shapes to look for, and how to avoid walking into them.
Try it: find the wall that wins the race
You play amber and need 8 steps. Your rival, teal, needs 6, so you are 2 behind. Two of your walls are already down. Pick a glowing bar to place a third, and the engine will tell you what it did.
Choose a wall. Some do nothing, some help your rival, and one wins the race.
The gap was 2, so the right wall has to net more than that. Only one of the 14 walls on offer does.
The three-step check
- Count. Your route, and your rival’s.
- Compare. Ahead or level means walk. Behind means look for a wall that wins back more than the gap.
- Check the wall. Whose route does it touch, and does it combine with a wall or the edge?
Questions
Should I place walls early?
In open space, a single wall usually wins back about one step, so an early wall rarely pays. Walls matter most when they combine with other walls or with the edge of the board.
How many steps is a wall worth?
It depends where it goes. A wall in front of a pawn in open space was worth 1 step. The wall that closed the pocket above was worth 8.
Do jumps change the count?
Yes. A jump moves a pawn two squares in one turn, so when the two pawns are about to meet, count the jump. The jumps and face-offs guide shows how much it can matter.
What if our routes are equal?
On your move, an equal route means you arrive first, so keep walking, but watch for a wall that could flip it.
Try it for real: play the computer and count before every move. New here? Start with how to play.