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The Rules for Qushinsu

The official rules are available from the publisher's web site.  This is my illustrated interpretation of the official version.  There is also a longer guide to the game in narritive form, which includes some strategy and tactics.

The game is for two players, black and white.  
Equipment:: Each player has 12 pieces called stones (described later) which are played on a circular board with 12 segments.
The object of the game is to "Return to the Way". This occurs when your opponent is unable to place or remove a stone.

The Equipment:


back stones
 the board
Twelve stones for each player.  The unmarked stone is called the Old Stone, the rest are called the 1-stone, 2-stone and so on.
Red stones

The play:  

Black moves first, by placing any stone on the board.   After the first move, players alternate moving, either placing or removing a stone on the board, according to these rules.   When one player cannot make a legal move, he has lost the game.

Rules:
  • Each turn you will either add or remove one of your pieces from the board.
    • If the most recent move was n-stone, you may either add or remove a stone from the board, exactly n spaces distant from the previous move. . 
    • If the most recent move was adding an old stone, you must add a stone at the closest empty space on the board.
    • If the last move was to remove an old stone, you must remove your closest stone
  • Precept 1: you can move only your own stones. 
  • Precept 2: only two stones of any type (color doesn't matter) can be on the board at any time.
  • Precept 3: If your most recent move was to remove a stone, you may not add the same type to the same position on your very next turn.


Examples:


example 1
Black's first move is the 4 stone at position 2.  Red must respond with a stone added at position 6 or position 10 (4 spaces distant from black's move)
 example 2
Black removed the old stone at position 9.
Red responded by removing a 1-stone at position 8.
Black must now add a stone at position 9 or remove a stone from position 7. 
  • Black cannot play a 2-stone, because there are already 2 2-stones on the board. (precept 2)
  • Black cannot play th old stone at position 9 because he just removed it from there. (precept 3)
 example 3
Red removed the old stone at positoin 3.
Black responded by removing the 1-stone at position 4. 
Red must now add or remove a stonw at position 3 or position 5.
  •  Since black occupies position 5, red cannot move there. (Precept 1)
  • Red cannot play a 2-stone, because there are 2 2-stones already on the board (precept 2)
  •  Red cannot play the old stone, because his previous move remove the old stone from space 3 (precept 3)


Endgame Examples:


gameover 1
Red has added a 1 stone at position 8.  Black must add or remove a stone at position 7 ot 9, buy since red occupies both, black cannot move and has lost.
 gameover 2
Black has removed the old stone from position 1.  Red must remove a stone closest to the old stone, but since he has no stones on the board he cannot move and has lost.
 gameover 3
Red has removed the 2-stone from position 2.  Black must add or remove a stone at position 4 or position 12, but since red occupies both, black cannot move and has lost.
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