SWEDISH CHECKERS

Position of board if you are playing Yellow.

SWEDISH CHECKERS is similar to Pachisi/Parcheesi and Aggravation and Sorry, with some differences. The homemade board pictured was given to my family before I was born, and I grew up playing Swedish Checkers often.  It became the Lund Family game. Many times through the years I have thought of starting a business of reproducing this wooden board and attempting to popularize Swedish Checkers, but now, at 63, it may not happen (although it still might).  Meanwhile, though, I at least want to share the game with you. My Dad's gloating when he won is a fond memory.

THE RULES:

Basics: Swedish Checkers is played with one die and the goal of the game is to move each of your three marbles from home to the safe row. There are fifty-three spaces around the board, five of which are spaces inside your safe row where a marble cannot be captured.

Each player selects three marbles of the same color and places them in their “home” or starting area. The game board should be positioned so that each player's home is to their left hand. Marbles enter play onto the nearest space toward the right of their home and continue clockwise around the board to the safe row directly in front of the player.

Each player rolls a die, highest roller goes first, turns continue counter-clockwise. Each turn players throw die and use the value shown to move their marbles around the board. If the amount on the die cannot be moved that amount is forfeited.

Entering Marbles: A marble can leave home only on a one or a six. At any time in the game, when a six is rolled the player also gets a second roll.

Capture: An opponent's marble resting in a non-safe space can be captured by landing on the same space by the amount shown the die. The captured marble is sent back home and the marble that landed on it moves ahead an additional five spaces. If the bonus movement of five spaces cannot be used, the bonus is forfeited. Otherwise it must be used, even if putting the player in jeopardy.

An opponent’s marble in one of the five spaces inside his safe row is not capturable.

Obviously two marbles cannot occupy the same space.

The end moves can be made only by exact throw of the die. The first player, and only the first player, to arrive at the end, inside the safe row, is awarded a ten-space move with any one marble still in play. If the bonus movement amount cannot be used it is forfeited.

Winning: The first player to get all three marbles in the last three spaces inside the safe row wins, at which point the winner may gloat.


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