Setup
The game consists of a standardRules
Two versions of this game are described.Version A
;Starting position and opening phase # In the beginning the ''rimau'' pieces representing the tigers are placed at the two apex nodes of both mountains, where each connects to the alquerque board. # Nine ''orang'' pieces are initially placed on the nine intersection points of the central square of the alquerque board, leaving 26 nodes unoccupied. # The tiger player moves first and removes any 3 ''orang'' pieces from the board, leaving 29 nodes unoccupied. To complete the first turn, the tiger player then may also pick up either one of the ''rimau'' pieces and place it on any empty intersection point on the board, or the tiger player can simply leave both ''rimau'' pieces where they are already. The tiger player can move only one ''rimau'' piece in a single turn. # The man player moves next, and must place one of the remaining 15 ''orang'' pieces on any vacant intersection point on the board. Only one ''orang'' can be added per turn, so in the opening phase of the game, the first fifteen man player turns are used to place the ''orang'' pieces. ;Movement and capture phase # Players alternate their turns throughout the game, with the tiger player taking the odd-numbered turns and the man player taking even-numbered turns. # The tiger player can move a single ''rimau'' piece and capture ''orang-orang'' during their turns, starting with turn 3. Moving both ''rimau'' pieces during a single turn is not allowed. # When there is an adjacent node that is vacant and connected to the present node by a line, one of the ''rimau'' pieces can move by a single space to that node during the tiger player's turn. # However, as an alternative, the tiger player may choose to capture ''orang'' piece(s) using one ''rimau'' piece during their turn. The capture must take an odd number of ''orang'' pieces (e.g., 1, 3, 5, or 7) and must follow a straight line. That is, if more than one ''orang'' piece is captured (i.e. 3, 5, or 7), those pieces must be in a contiguous straight line (without any gaps) that follows the pattern on the board. To capture the pieces, the ''rimau'' must be adjacent to the ''orang'' or line of ''orang'' pieces, and leap over them onto the vacant node immediately beyond. The ''orang'' pieces that were jumped are removed. Once the ''orang'' piece(s) are leaped over and captured, the tiger player's turn is finished and the ''rimau'' can no longer capture further or move. Captures are not compulsory. # After the 15 ''orang-orang'' have been dropped during the opening phase, the man player can then move an ''orang'' piece during their turn, starting with turn 32. Only one ''orang'' may be moved per turn. Like the ''rimau'', each ''orang'' can be moved in any available direction along a line by a single space to a vacant adjacent intersection point, but the man player cannot capture using the same leaping mechanic. # The odd-numbered requirement for capture allows the man player to block the ''rimau'' by placing or moving two (or an even number) ''orang'' pieces next to the ''rimau''. ;Endgame # If the tiger player has captured all the ''orang'' pieces, or there are not enough ''orang'' pieces left to block the movement of the ''rimau'' pieces, the tiger player wins. # If the man player has immobilized both ''rimau'' pieces by leaving them with no legal moves, the man player wins. If the man player has been reduced to 10 or 11 remaining ''orang'' pieces, the man player will usually resign as there is not enough ''orang'' pieces left to effectively immobilize the ''rimau'' pieces.Version B
Version B has a slightly different opening phase. Otherwise, gameplay is exactly the same in both Version A and Version B for movement, capturing, and winning conditions. ;Differences compared to Version A * Version B uses 22 ''orang'' pieces in total (Version A uses 24) * Version B places 8 ''orang'' pieces at the start of the game in the center of the board (Version A places 9) * The central node of the alquerque board is left unoccupied during the start of Version B * During the opening turn by the tiger player, only one ''orang'' piece is removed (Version A removes 3) * The 14 remaining ''orang'' pieces are placed during the opening phase of Version B (Version A has 15)Variants
A similar game to rimau-rimau, especially Version A, is played by the Iban tribe in Borneo, called . There are a few differences, however; one of which is that there are 28 ('children') in as compared to 24 or 22 ('men') in rimau-rimau. Children are playing the role of the men in this case. Furthermore, instead of ('tigers'), the two pieces are called ('women') in . Lastly, the can jump over an using the short leap method as in draughts, but the piece is not captured. There may be more variations of the game with differences in rules, board design, and number of pieces. An piece can capture an odd number of pieces as in rimau-rimau, and the board used is the same as in rimau-rimau.
Another account from the book "The Achehnese" (1906) states that these types of games were referred to as or the 'tiger game' in Java, but referred to as ('tiger game') among the Acehnese. is described slightly differently from both versions of Rimau-rimau. It consists of the usual two tigers, but with 23 sheep (as opposed to 22 or 24 men). It is most similar to Version B as the game begins with eight sheep on the eight intersection points surrounding the central point of the board. But instead of the central intersection point being left empty, the two tiger pieces are placed on it. It does not specifically mention if the two tigers are stacked on top of one another on the central point, or if the second tiger is entered separately and after the first tiger has moved away from the central point. Moreover, the remaining 15 sheep are only entered if a sheep on the board is captured. This means that only at most eight sheep are allowed on the board at any time, but can eight sheep effectively block the two tigers? Whether this is an accurate description of the game is questionable. The tigers are allowed to capture an odd number of sheep as in rimau-rimau, and the same board is used.
The Acehnese live in northern Sumatra, but on the island of
Another variant which is briefly described in "The Achehnese" (1906) is the game (or ) which is called "four tigers and sixteen sheep". The same board is used in / which is the rimau-rimau board, but it is not explicitly mentioned whether a tiger can capture an odd number of sheep. Perhaps a similar game is described by Walter William Skeat in his work ''Malay magic'' (1900) which he refers to as ("Tiger" Game) or ("Tiger and Goat" Game) as this game usually consists of four tigers and a dozen goats. However, the design of the board is not described or referenced, nor whether or not the tiger is permitted to capture an odd number of goats.
is also the name for a game played in the state of Kelantan in Malaysia, and it was described by A.H. Hill in the ''Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society'' (1952) under the article "Some Kelantan Games and Entertainments". But unlike Rimau-rimau and the other variants, the standard Alquerque board is only used; the two triangular boards that normally flank it on opposite sides are missing. There are two and twenty ('cattle'), and they are traditionally represented by fruits or pebbles. The game starts with some of the pieces on the board already. The two are placed on two opposite outer rows (or columns) of the board, and specifically on the middle point of the row or column; this part of the setup is essentially the same as that of Rimau-rimau. Four are placed on the four points diagonally adjacent to the central point of the board. Although not explicitly described in the article, the remaining may be assumed to be entered one piece per turn as in Rimau-rimau and the other variants. But unlike Rimau-rimau and the other variants, the may possibly be placed onto a point already occupied by one or more . The move and capture similarly as in Rimau-rimau except it can only capture one in a turn; the cannot capture a line of an odd number (greater than one) of as in Rimau-rimau. The turn ends after the capture of the one . As mentioned earlier, more than one may occupy a point, and the is allowed to leap over them, but only capture one of the . The move similarly as in the of Rimau-rimau but it can also move onto a point already occupied by one or more . The are not allowed to move onto the same point occupied by a . The cannot capture. The objective for both parties is the same as in Rimau-rimau.
''Rimau-rimau (as described by Plischke)''
A Czech ethnographer, Dr. Karl Plischke (Czech: Karel Plischke), published an article in 1890 in German "Kurze Mittheilung Ueber Zwei Malayische Spiele" (English: Short Message About Two Malay Games) describing a slight variant of Version B. It was described to him by a 19 year old Malay man from Singapore of the name "Saman" in 1889. Plischke states that in the beginning of the game the 8 orang-orang are placed according to Version B, but that each of the 2 rimau are placed on any two vacant points on the board, or that possibly the 2 rimau can be both placed together on the central point of the board (as in the 2 rimau version of Rimoe). The only other difference from Version B is that a rimau can only capture one orang in a turn; it cannot capture a multiple number of orang-orang (not even an odd number except one).Asymmetry
Rimau-rimau is an asymmetric game in that the pieces controlled by one player are different from the pieces controlled by the other player. Tiger pieces can capture, whereas men can only block the tigers. Furthermore, the number of pieces is different for each player. The tiger player controls the two tiger pieces, and the man player controls the 22 or 24 man pieces. Lastly, the goals of each player are different. The goal of the tigers is to eliminate as many men as possible which would prevent the men from blocking their movements. However, the goal of the men is to block the movements of the tigers.Related games
* Rimau * Buga-shadara *References
{{ReflistExternal links
*http://www.two-paths.com/bg/asiantiger.htm *https://books.google.com/books?id=2hTyfurOH8AC&dq=Iban+Board+Game&pg=PA278 Abstract strategy games Culture of Malaysia Traditional board games