If you are at a big disadvantage on one island, you likely will be better off conceding control there so that you can make gains in other areas of the board. If an island is not yet controlled, the player with the majority of pegs on that island usually has a sizable advantage there. You must balance gains and losses in contested areas. It is usually at the intersection of lines extending from the most strongly held pairs of islands. Often, the critical island is one both players need to gain the upper hand. You generally want to control an island whenever you can, but controlling the right islands is just as important as controlling the most islands. The following strategy tips are given in the official rules for the game. The board is won with any of the seven formations shown above for gaining control of an island. If you have additional counters on an island that you control, you may safely move them to another island knowing that you will remain in control of that original island.Ī player wins when they gain control of three islands connected by a line or circle. If one player has three counters controlling an island, the other player may not simultaneously form a controlling triplet there. Note that only one player may control an island at a time. Here, red counters demonstrate all of the seven methods that a player may use to gain control of an island.

Note that counters aligned along a circle are just as valid as counters aligned on a line. This is done with one of seven configurations. Passing is not allowed.Ī player gains control of an island when, on that island, three of that player’s counters are connected by a line or circle.

In the second part of a turn, a player places an enemy counter at the position her counter just vacated. For example, a counter positioned at the center of any island may then move to the center position of any other island provided that position is vacant. If moving to another island, however, the position moved into must be the same position in relation to its island as the position the counter just left. In the first part of a turn, a player moves one of his own counters already on the board to any vacant position on the same island or to a vacant position on another island. Turns will alternate for the entire game. The fire player commences the game by placing one of his own counters in the middle position of the center island. Thus, a player will want to have his opponent’s on-hand stock of counters near him. As stated above, a unique feature of this game is that a player’s counters are placed on the board by his opponent. One player will be “fire” and the other player will be “ice”. Players then choose which color of counters will be theirs.

The game commences with the board empty of counters. The first player to control three islands connected by a line or circle wins the game. Note: The pattern of seven points, which are connected in triplets in seven ways, is called a Fano Plane, an example of the mathematical structure known as a 'finite plane.' Each point on the plane is mathematically identical to the others.įire & Ice was designed by Jens-Peter Schliemann and Published by Out of the Box Pin International. The board is made up of seven triangular “islands” and each island in turn has seven positions for counters. A unique feature of this game is that a player’s counters are placed on the board by his opponent. Fire & Ice commences with the board vacant of counters.Ī Fire & Ice board and twenty-five each of black and white counters (or red and aqua counters, holding more true to the original publication) are required for play.

Peg solitaire black island