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The game is contested by two players on a board of 11x11 squares, one player taking control of the king and twelve defenders (white), the other taking control of twenty-four attackers (black).













 
 

The pieces are set out as shown in the diagram. The attackers take the first move.

In his turn a player can move a single piece any number of spaces along a row or column; this piece may not jump over nor land on a square occupied by another piece of either colour.

The square in the center is called the throne, where the king is placed at the start of the game.

It is allowed for the king to re-enter the throne, and all pieces may pass through the throne when it is empty.

The four squares at the corners of the board and the throne are special, and only the king may land on them. These are called 'restricted squares'.

Restricted squares are hostile, which means they can replace one of the two pieces taking part in a capture. The throne is always hostile to the attackers, but only hostile to the defenders when it is empty.
The four corner squares are also restricted and hostile, just like the throne.
The board edge is NOT hostile.

All pieces except the king are captured if sandwiched between two enemy pieces, or between an enemy piece and a restricted square. The two enemy pieces should be on the square above and below or on the squares left and right of the attacked piece, i.e. not diagonally.

A piece is only captured if the trap is closed by the aggressor's move, it is therefore permitted to move in between two enemy pieces. The king may take part in captures.

Shield walls: A row of pieces at the edge of the board may be captured by completely surrounding them against the board edge, so that none of them have room to move. The capturing move must be a flanking move to a square at the edge of the board. This is the "shield wall" capture. 

If the king plus one or more defenders are attacked with a shieldwall, the attack will capture the defenders but not the king.

​The attackers win if they can capture the king.

The king can be captured by surrounding him on all four sides by attackers.

The king may also be captured by surrounding him on three sides, if the fourth side is the restricted central square (throne).

The king cannot be captured on the board edge.​

If the attackers surround the king and ALL remaining defenders with an unbroken ring, then they win, as they have prevented the king from escaping.

If the king reaches any corner square, the king has escaped and the defenders win.

​Exit forts: The defenders also win if the king has contact with the board edge, is able to move, and it is impossible for the attackers to break the fort.

Perpetual repetitions are forbidden.
Any perpetual repetition results in a loss for white.

​If a player cannot move, he loses the game.

If it is not possible to end the game, for instance because both sides have too few pieces left, then it is a draw.