Nonaga

How to play

Nonaga is for two players. The board is a hexagon of 19 wooden discs; you each have 3 pawns. Be the first to gather all three of your pawns on neighbouring discs — in a line, a triangle, or a tick.

Setting up

Lay the 19 discs out in the hexagon and alternate the black and red pawns around the six corners. Whoever opens the game is picked at random.

A turn

1. Slide a pawn. Pick one of your pawns and a straight line. It travels as far as it can: it stops on the last disc before the edge of the field, or just before another pawn. Discs do not block it — the pawn rides over them.
2. Move a disc. Take a free disc (no pawn on it) from the edge of the field and put it somewhere it touches at least two other discs. The disc your opponent moved last turn is out of bounds for you. The disc has to be one that can be slid out without moving any other disc — so it needs a way through, not merely an empty space beside it.

Removing a disc may leave another disc touching the rest on one side only. That is allowed.

Winning

The first player with all three pawns on neighbouring discs wins — a straight line, a triangle, or a bent “tick”.

Nonaga was designed by Viktor Bautista i Roca, with graphics by Ajsa Zdravkovic. This is an unofficial digital version.