Tak Companion Book

Tak
Companion Book
by James Ernest and Patrick Rothfuss
Illustrated by Nate Taylor
© 2016 Cheapass Games, LLC

www.cheapass.com
The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man’s Fear, and Tak are trademarks of Elodin Enterprises, used by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication (with the ironic exception of this paragraph) may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other
information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except for purposes of
review.
ISBN 978-1-59100-069-3
Tak Companion Book

by James Ernest and Patrick Rothfuss
Illustrations by Nate Taylor, James Ernest, and Pete Venters
(PDF Edition)
Contents
Two Faces of Beauty: Courtly vs.
Street Tak..................................... 29
Customs and Variations: Tak Around

the World...................................... 33
Tarbean: the Fractured City................... 33
Atur: A Random Start............................ 34
Tak at the University.............................. 35
Ademre: The Quiet Game.......................37
Tak and the Edema Ruh......................... 38
Concerning Tak Hustlers....................... 39
Introduction: Creating an Ancient Game....1
Tak in Song: The Ballad of Teni Meran......41
Game Rules I: How to Play Tak................... 3
Playing Without a Board........................10 Brain Teasers: Tak Puzzles.......................43
Tak Notation.......................................... 46
The Road to Tinuë: A History of Tak......... 11 Puzzle Answers.......................................47
Kaen........................................................ 12
Locke....................................................... 14 Game Rules II: Rules for Kaen and Locke.. 49
Trio..........................................................14 How to Play Kaen................................... 49
Taket....................................................... 16 How to Play Locke.................................. 52
Modegan Tak.......................................... 18 Bonus: Patrick’s Tak Rules..................... 54
Terms and Phrases: The Language of Tak..19 About the Creators: Who is Responsible
for This?........................................55
Of a Piece: The Origin and Meaning of James Ernest.......................................... 55
Tak Piece Shapes........................... 23 Patrick Rothfuss..................................... 56
Cane Pieces............................................. 23 Nate Taylor............................................. 57
Tavern Pieces.......................................... 24
Merchant Pieces..................................... 25 Credits.................................................... 59
Other Pieces........................................... 26
Capstones: Common and Personal........27 Hybrid 5x5 Game Board..............Back Cover
Patrick Rothfuss, James Ernest, hot tea, and Tak
Introduction:
Creating an Ancient Game
by Patrick Rothfuss
Y
ou hold in your hands a rare and wonderful
thing. It’s something I had hoped for, but
knew would probably never exist. This is
the companion book for Tak: a once-fictional game
that is now as real as real can be.
I met James Ernest in 2007 at VCON, a fantasy

and science fiction convention in Vancouver, BC.
We were ships passing in the night. He had no idea
who I was, which was fair. I’d been published for
less than a year.
But I knew him. I’d been playing James’ games for

a decade. In fact, I had started playing Cheapass
Games at about the same time I started writing
The Name of the Wind, way back in the beforetimes,
the late 1990’s.
The Faen Deck from Pairs
In 2013, our paths crossed at Origins, a gaming
convention in Columbus, and I got to know James During the Kickstarter campaign for Pairs, James
a little better. Later that year, he kickstarted a card and I offered to create the rules for Tak as a stretch
game called Get Lucky, and (at my urging) he was goal. At first I said no, but he kept after me until I
nice enough to give me a cameo in that game. agreed to at least discuss the concept with him.
That collaboration led to our first superhero team- That summer, James reminded me that we had
up, combining his games and my world in Pairs. promised to make Tak. He wanted to invent it. He
wanted to build the whole thing from the ground
Pairs was a “New Classic Pub Game,” a simple card up, based on my descriptions in The Wise Man’s
game looking for a place to belong. James sent me Fear, and all the unwritten stuff in my head.
a test copy, I played it, and I immediately knew
that it would be a perfect fit for my world. Again, I said no.
Introduction: Creating an Ancient Game 1
So I told him, fine. Fine! Do it. Whatever. Jeez.
I feel like I should make it clear that it wasn’t that I

don’t like James Ernest. I do. And it’s not that he’s
not a good game designer. He is. He’s brilliant.
The challenge was that up to this point, Tak was a

purely mythical game. And while James was great,
I figured that nobody could just sit down and make
up a game on a par with chess or go.
My plan was to look politely at whatever game

“Why not?” he asked. he brought me, smile, and then let him down as
gently as possible.
“Because,” I said. “Tak is supposed to be my world’s
version of chess or go or mancala. I can’t ask you to I gave James my Tak notes in November 2014.
make a game like that. It’s like saying, ‘you know We met three months later, on the JoCo Cruise,
those games that have stood the test of time for for my first demo game.
hundreds of years? The best games ever? Do that
thing, but in my world.’ I was stunned. This game is everything I wanted.
The rules are simple. The strategy is deep. It’s more
“So first, it’s unreasonable for me to ask. Second, elegant than chess. It’s more lively than go.
you can’t do it. No one can. And third, if you did
manage to pull if off, nobody would give a crap. I learned to play Tak in about five minutes and I
had a blast. More than a year later, I’m still learn-
“We’re living in the golden age of board games ing. The strategy is unfurling like a flower as I
right now. Nobody cares about games like chess understand more and more about the play of it.
any more.”
It is, in brief, a beautiful game.
(If you didn’t already know this about me, I can be
a curmudgeonly bastard.) I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
“Just let me try,” James said. “Let me take a run

Patrick Rothfuss
at it. If you hate what I come up with, we’ll never
August 2016
speak of it again.”
2 Tak Companion Book

Game Rules I:
How to Play Tak
by James Ernest
T
ak is a simple two-player strategy game. Tak boards can be 3x3, 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, or even
The goal is to build a road, a line of pieces larger. The “Classic Set,” the first retail edition of
connecting opposite sides of the board. Tak, includes a double-sided 6x6 board.
Connections: Spaces on the board are connected

only by their edges. In Tak, things are not adjacent
diagonally, and pieces do not move diagonally.
Some examples of winning roads Cardinal Directions: In examples, it is sometimes

helpful to use cardinal directions (north, south,
The Board east, west) to describe movement or placement.
These directions are not actually on the board.
You can play Tak on different sizes of board, from
3x3 to 6x6 and higher. The board on the back of The Pieces
this book is a “hybrid 5x5” board, meaning that it
can be used for any size game up to 5x5. In a 5x5 game, each player uses 21 standard pieces
called “stones,” plus one special piece called the
“capstone.” Stones can be played in two ways: flat
and standing.
Flat Stones: Most stones will be

played flat. In this orientation, they
are called “flat stones” or just “flats.”
Flat stones can stack up, as a result
of movement (see below).
Standing Stones: If a stone is played

on end, like this, it is a “standing
To play a 5x5 game, use the 25 diamonds. For a stone” or “wall.” Nothing can be
4x4 game, play on the 16 squares. For a 3x3 game, stacked on a standing stone, and it
use just the inner nine diamonds. does not count as part of a road.
Game Rules I: How to Play Tak 3
Capstones: Capstones embody the The Goal
better aspects of both standing and
flat stones: they do count as part of The object is to create a line of your pieces, called a
a road, but they can’t have another road, connecting two opposite sides of the board.
piece stacked on top. In addition, a The road does not have to be a straight line. Below
capstone by itself has the ability to is an example of a winning road.
flatten a standing stone.
Setting Up
The board starts empty. All pieces begin in the

player’s “reserve,” which just means the pieces that
are not yet on the board.
The number of pieces each player uses is based on

the size of the board:
Board Size: 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 8x8

Stones: 10 15 21 30 50 A winning road for Black
Capstones: 0 0 1 1 2
In the example above, Black has won the game by
Note that capstones are used only on boards of size connecting two opposite sides of the board with a
5x5 and higher. Also, there are no numbers for 7x7, road. Each space along this path has a stack with a
because it is rarely played. black flat stone on top.
Starting Player: In your first game, determine Other Victory Conditions

randomly who will go first. In subsequent games,
take turns going first. Flat Win: If either player runs out of pieces, or if
the board is completely covered, then the game
The First Turn: On the first turn, each player will ends immediately and the player with the most flat
place one of their opponent’s stones. You may stones (on top of stacks) wins. If this count is tied,
play this stone in any empty space, and it must then the game is a draw.
be played flat. After the first turn, play proceeds
normally. Example: if White goes first, White plays Double Road: If a player creates a winning road for
a Black stone, then Black plays a White stone, then both players with the same move, then the active
White takes the first normal turn. player is the winner. (This is quite rare.)
On Each Turn Movement Examples
On your turn you may either place a piece in an Understanding movement is the key to the game,
empty space, or move one of the stacks under your so below are three examples of how pieces move.
control.
If you place your last piece, or if you fill the last

space on the board, the game ends immediately.
See Winning the Game, below.
Place: You can place a flat stone, a standing stone,

or your capstone in any empty space on the board.
(You never play a piece directly on another one. Stacks
form only as a result of movement.)
Move: You can move one or more pieces in a stack

that you control. A “stack” of pieces can be any
height, including just one piece. “Control” means
that your piece is on top. Moving One Piece: The black piece in the exam-
ple above can move to three of the four adjacent
To move the stack, take any number of pieces off spaces as indicated.
the top (up to the carry limit, defined below), and
move them in a straight line (but not diagonally), If it moves north, it moves into an empty space. If
dropping at least one piece off the bottom in each it moves east, it covers a white piece. If it moves
space along the way. south, it covers a black piece. It cannot move west,
because that space is occupied by a standing stone.
The pieces that you drop will cover up any stacks
that are already there. Standing stones and capstones move in the same
way as flat stones. If this piece were a capstone, it
Standing stones and capstones cannot be covered, would also have the option to move west, flatten-
which means that all the spaces in your path must ing the standing stone there and covering it.
either be empty or contain flat stones.
Because you must drop at least one piece in each
A capstone can, by itself, move onto a standing space as you go, a stack of a single piece can move
stone and flatten it. An example of this type of only one space. Taller stacks can move farther, as
move is given below. shown in the next examples.
Moving a Taller Stack: At left is an example of making a move with
a taller stack. White controls this stack, with a standing stone on top.
She decides to move east. (Movement is always in a straight line.)
1: White can take as many as five pieces off the top of this stack.
(See carry limit, below.) That’s the whole stack, and she decides to
take it all. She could also have left one or more pieces behind.
In each space along the path, White must drop at least one piece.
These pieces come off the bottom of the stack.
2: In the first space, she decides to drop two pieces, which will leave
her in control of that space. She carries the remaining three pieces
onward.
3: On the second space, White decides to drop two pieces again.

This will give her control of this stack as well.
4: She moves only the top piece, the standing stone, into the last
space. The end result of this move is shown in figure 4.
This single move gave White control of all three spaces, leaving
Black in control of no spaces at all!
The rest of this board is empty, to make the example more clear.
In a normal game, Black would probably still have control of some
other spaces.
But it’s not impossible for a move like this to happen in a real game.
If that were the case, Black could not move on the next turn, since
he controls no stacks; he would have to place a new piece.
Tall stacks are quite versatile. White had many other options with
this stack. She could have moved it to the north or south, or she
could have left different numbers of pieces in each position.

Moving Capstones: Capstones move like any other piece, except
that they have one extra option: By itself, a capstone can flatten a
standing stone. In this example, Black will move his capstone two
steps, to flatten White’s standing stone.
1: Black could move up to five of the pieces in this stack, but he

elects to leave two pieces behind, and move just three pieces (the
capstone and the two beneath it) to the next space. This leaves a
black stone in control of the original space.
2: To flatten the standing stone, the capstone will have to act

alone. So Black leaves the other pieces on the middle space, and
moves the capstone by itself onto the standing stone.
3: Figure 3 shows the end result of this move. Black has flattened
White’s standing stone, but has left White in control of the middle
stack. This is not perfect for Black, but this is fairly common,
because capstones often end up on top of pieces of the opposite
color. The end position shows why: Black has flattened White’s
standing stone, so he again finds his capstone atop a White flat.
Note that capstones can flatten stones of either color (not just the
opponent’s color).
As in the previous example, the player had many options for what
pieces to leave where. The only requirement was that in order to
flatten the standing stone, the capstone had to finish alone.
Calling “Tak”: There are two schools of thought on calling “Tak.” This is simply a warning to your
opponent that you are one move away from winning. Some players believe it is unnecessary, and even
counterproductive. Others believe it is an essential courtesy, and that not calling “Tak” goes against
the fundamental spirit of the game.
Neither of these opinions is completely without merit, and the decision falls to the style of each player
group as to what is best for your game. For more, see “Courtly vs. Street Tak” on page 29.

Additional Movement Rules Winning the Game
Carry Limit and Stack Height: There is no upper The goal of the game is to create a road, which is
limit to the height of a stack. However, there is a a line of pieces that joins opposite edges of the
limit to the number of pieces you can move off of a board (north to south or east to west). This is
stack, called the “carry limit.” called a “road win.”
The carry limit is always equal to the width of the A road is mainly composed
board. So, in a 5x5 game, the largest number of of flat stones. Your capstone
pieces that you can carry is five. That means if you can also be part of a road,
start with a stack of 7, you must leave at least 2 of but standing stones cannot.
those pieces in the starting position. If either player has a road,
the game is over and that
Insurmountable Pieces: Neither a capstone nor a player wins.
standing stone can have a piece stacked on top
of it (except that a capstone can flatten a stand- Flat Win: The game also ends if the board is full,
ing stone). These pieces place and move normally, or if either player runs out of pieces. “Full” means
but can’t be stacked upon. Therefore, it’s illegal to that there are no empty spaces on the board.
make a move that would place a piece atop these
types of pieces. As soon as either player fills the last board space,
or plays their last piece, the game is over. If no one
Flattening Stones: The capstone can move onto a has a road at this point, then the winner is deter-
standing stone, flattening it. A standing stone can mined by counting the flat stones. This is called a
be flattened only by the capstone by itself, not by a “flat win.”
taller stack with the capstone on top.
Count only the flat stones on top of all the stacks
A capstone can make a longer move (with a taller on the board. Standing stones and capstones are
stack) before flattening a standing stone, as in the not counted, nor are flat stones that are covered.
example on page 7, but the capstone must be the
only piece that moves onto the standing stone. If this count is tied, then the game is a draw.
A capstone can flatten a standing stone of either Double Road: If a single move completes a road
color. for both players, then the active player wins.
For example, if White makes a move that creates a
Aside from flattening it with a capstone, you can- white road and a black road, then White wins because
not lay down a standing stone. it is White’s turn.
Scoring Basic Strategy
Scoring is not strictly necessary, but it is a good You can learn the basics on a smaller board. 3x3 is
way to track your results over several games. actually a little weird, so most people learn on 4x4.
Because there is a slight advantage for the player When you play 4x4, you have only 15 stones per
who goes first, it’s most equitable to play an even side, and no capstone. This quick-playing game lets
number of games, alternating who goes first. you learn the offensive abilities of standing stones.
Your score for winning is equal to the size of the Most of the stones you play will be flat.
board (for example, 25 points in a 5x5 game), plus
the number of pieces that remain in your reserve. In most games, you should expect the first few
rounds to involve placing, not moving, because
For example, in a 4x4 game, if you win the game it’s advantageous to get more pieces into play.
with 4 unplayed pieces, you score 20 points. This is However, there will come a time when you need to
16 points for the board, and 4 for the pieces. make a move, or place a wall, because a flat stone
won’t accomplish what you want.
Using this system, you will score more points by
winning more efficiently. Players are often just one or two moves away from
winning. Some threats are easy to neutralize, and
others are harder (or impossible). Obviously your
strategy should be to answer your opponent’s
threats while developing your own.
Strength builds in stacks. You must play new

pieces in empty spaces, so stacks will only form as
a result of movement. When you create a stack,
pay attention to where it can move, and what
other pieces it can cover and control.
When you advance to the 5x5 or 6x6 game, you’ll

introduce the capstone. Capstones are powerful
when they get some range, so try to get them onto
a tall stack, ideally comprised mostly of your own
pieces. A capstone can’t be fully neutralized, but it
can be isolated and blocked.
Playing Without a Board
Tak is a super-portable game, especially if you

learn to play without a board.
Fancy Tak sets include boards of one kind or

another: sturdy wooden boards, versatile leather
boards, or boards painted onto cloth squares.
Any decent tavern should have a 5x5 Tak board,

or, in the less refined establishments, a board may
be scratched into a tabletop. Failing that, one can
always mark out a grid with a few lines of chalk.
But it’s even more common for people who find

themselves without a board simply to mark the
center of the board, and imagine the rest.
For a 4x4 or 5x5 game, this is pretty easy. Choose a

knot in the tabletop, a scrap of paper, or a nice flat
coin to designate the center space. As the pieces
accumulate around the center space, the entire
board becomes clearly delineated.
If you’re lucky enough to own a Tak coin, like the

ones shown above, you can use it to designate the
center space of a 5x5 grid (left), or to mark the
center intersection of a 4x4 grid (right).
The Road to Tinuë:
A History of Tak
by Daramin Centes
W elcome.
What you hold in your hands is the pure child of my mind. For more than a year’s time I have labored
to produce a monograph on Tak like none other in existence.
Never before has a single work attempted to bring together so many diverse sources in an attempt to
illuminate the history, strategy, and culture surrounding Tak.
It is my hope that it may provide a useful resource to future scholars, current enthusiasts, as well as
new players curious about this, the noblest of games.
Quiant Eteariam Ve!
Re’lar Daramin Centes Esq.

Fourth Tier Scriv. Order of the Yew
T
ak is an ancient game, older than empires. dozens of volumes on tactics, history, arithmetic,
For centuries, its simple rules and deep and etiquette. But many of those books are woe-
strategies have captured the hearts and fully inaccessible to the common man. They are
minds of players throughout the Four Corners badly translated, overwritten, or simply impossible
and doubtless into the barbarous lands beyond. It to discover without access to private collections or
is not for nothing that famed strategist Peyramo many hours in the deep stacks.
Dolsn referred to Tak as “King of games, and the
game of Kings.”
It has always struck me as unfortunate that so

much of the best writing on Tak is scattered. Many
of our greatest thinkers have opined on the game,
and there are mentions spread through dozens on
The Road to Tinuë: A History of Tak 11

There has been much written of Tak lately,
spurred by the work of Maris Cintor and those
that have followed in her footsteps. It is thanks
to her scholarship that we have an increasingly
accurate understanding of the origins of Tak, and
can look back with better clarity than ever before
through two millennia to where it all began. Kaen
In this monograph, I have worked to bring together
all that is best from those essential sources. I am Kaen, also known as “From the Earth to the Sky,”
fortunate to have a gift for languages, so I have been is a dice-based board game at least 2000 years old,
able to include works inaccessible to those without with historical references dating back as far as the
the stomach or intellectual fortitude required for earliest recorded days of the Modegan royal line.
translation and therefore true scholarship.
Kaen was played by soldiers and guardsmen in
Having gleaned the best from history, I will strive the early chaotic days that surrounded the forma-
to combine this information with newer writings, tion of the Carashen Dominate. It is likely due to
theories, strategies, and research that has only wartime mingling with mercenary troops that the
recently come to light. game spread beyond the borders of what is now
Modeg. If, in fact, it originated there at all.
It is my hope that, for beginners, this book will
serve as a primer and introduction to Tak. For The earliest surviving mention of Kaen is in the
experienced players, I hope this will be a unique disciplinary record of a strahl, who was forced
resource that contains all that is essential and to punish her troops for neglecting their duties.
perhaps offers some unique insight into the play, She refers to the game harshly, and explains:
strategy, and history of this game.
“I would rather my troops suffer from the flux
As Feltemi himself mentions, we always have one than be afflicted with Kaen. This is because a
foot in the past. So let us begin at the beginning: soldier will eventually purge himself clean given
2000 years ago in the lands that would eventually a dozen days, or, barring that, have the decency
be known as Modeg and Ademre. to die. But once [a thain] has pricked his fingers
on this game, it will plague him forever.”
We will start by examining games like Kaen and
Locke that evolved into Trio and Taket before From this description, we can assume that Kaen
finally culminating in the perfect pearl of a game was quite popular. What’s more, it seems it was
that we know and love. not viewed kindly by the upper reaches of society.
Or, at the very least, that this commander was not The Kaen board is a dia-
particularly skilled at the game. mond shape, as shown here,
with each player’s symbols
In Kaen, the object is to create a bridge that con- running from the center
nects opposite sides of the board, similar to the bottom and up their edge.
road win in Tak. However, pieces in Kaen do not These symbols correspond
move or stack, and the player does not have a free to the markings on the hut.
choice of where to place his stones. Instead, the
roll of a 4-sided die (called a Hut) dictates where Kaen was typically played using common objects
stones can be placed. such as stones, coins, or shells, though it can also
be played with Tak pieces. It was usually played on
Historians agree that the makeshift boards, or with no board at all. Very few
earliest Huts were little more complete Kaen sets survive today, but the game
than modified caltrops, like is occasionally mentioned in the literature of the
the ones shown at right. time, most notably in the Varnisads.
Ancient examples have been Though some players used decorative doubling
found in armories, soldiers’ markers, these were often common objects such
graves, and the foundations as buttons or beads. The Hut was the only special
of ruined towns, and pre- piece required for the game. Huts were sometimes
date any written record of carved from wood or bone, and some examples of
the game by several hundred this piece still survive today. There are a few sur-
years. prisingly elegant examples, indicating that Kaen
was not exclusive to the lower classes.
A more stylized Hut is shown
at left: it is a simple four-sided Versions of Kaen are still played in Modeg and
barrel die, marked with the throughout the small kingdoms today.
numbers 1 through 4. These
marks can be simple dots, but The game is also known by the names of Kaene and
more often they are glyphs High Bridge. It is believed to have given rise to a
representing those numbers. A common glyph set family of dice-based gambling games too numer-
is shown below. ous for this volume.
Note: The full rules for Kaen, describing the most

widely accepted modern version of the ancient rules,
are given later in this book.
Locke Trio
Locke is a quick-playing board game that uses a The oldest known game that closely resembles
5x5 board with ten pieces per player. Locke has its modern Tak comes from Venumet, roughly 700
roots among the Ademre, and is still played there, years ago. Predating any other known mentions by
though not widely. more than a hundred years, the game of Trio was
first described in the journal of the infamous Yllish
Without any piece as distinctive as a Hut, there is explorer Farau Lyari.
little artifact evidence of Locke, which gives us few
hints to the true age of the game. Although we have several complete Trio sets from
various locations and time periods, the game is no
Similarly, the nomadic nature of the Ademre be- longer played, and the rules are a subject of con-
fore their settlement in northern Stormwal means jecture. If it were not for Farau’s description of the
that written records from that time period are not games he played against Avara, the daughter of his
just rare, they are nonexistent. host, we would have very little information on this
game at all.
The earliest known mention of a game similar to
Locke is in Delitari’s Cemopendia, so we can show In his journal, Farau describes a game similar to
the game to be at least 1200 years old. But most Locke, using a 5x5 board and turn-based place-
scholars believe it to be much older than that. ment of stones. The game uses stacks of pieces,
like Locke, but it’s clear that players were allowed
From what we can find, the ancient game of Locke to stack their own pieces on top of their opponent’s
seems quite similar to the game that is played pieces, creating a new kind of game play.
in Ademre today. But with virtually no textual
referents, this assumption is entirely speculative. Farau’s journal is useful, but it is important to note
that he dwells more on Avara’s charms and their
Locke is a strategy game in flirtatious conversation rather than on the rules of
which pieces can move and the game. This is hardly surprising.
combine into stacks. The
goal is to occupy any three While Farau’s journals are a boon to historians
spaces along the center line. and scholars, Farau himself was neither. Let us
be honest and know the man for what he was, a
Note: The full rules to Locke scoundrel and a braggart with the morals of a feral
are given later in this book. cat, albeit one with a clever quill.
Yllish frailties aside, we owe quite a bit to his
bawdy nature in this particular instance, as it
brings us unique information as to the nature of
the game:
Wresting my eyes from her, I considered the

board briefly, then moved again, positioning
the large, round stone atop my stack of pieces.
“You’re beginning to see,” Avara said, nodding

her approval. “It is not enough to have it in
play. The more stones it tops, the more power-
ful it is.” Throughout this innuendo-laden conversation,
several features of the game become apparent.
I smiled at her. “So again the game reflects
the world.” Farau mentions “a large, round stone” that could
be played on top of a stack, which may have made
She met my eyes in a direct manner that I it illegal to add more small stones. This suggests
found at once startling and appealing, then a new kind of piece which acts somewhat like a
moved again, sliding a stack of her own modern Capstone or standing stone.
stones across the board. “Yes,” she said. “But
the proof is in the use of a thing…” Farau also describes an action he calls both a “fall”
and elsewhere a “tumble,” suggesting a Tak-style
“It is a shame that after I make use of it, it run-out of a stack of pieces.
falls.” I spread my stones in a line, ending
with the round stone on top of her own stack. The journal also mentions “earth and sky” several
“But fear not, I shall make it rise up again.” times when describing the end of a game, which is
a strong indication that a Kaen-style road-based
win had replaced the simple “occupy the center
line” goal of Locke.
With these clues, we see a game in which the

movement-based strategy of Locke is combined
with the road-based victory condition of Kaen, but
without further study we cannot reconstitute a full
set of rules for Trio.
Most of our knowledge of the game rules can be
Taket found in court records from Tinuë, detailing a
vicious Taket game between a brewer and tanner.
They were each the head of their own guild, which
For the devoted historian and scholar, the most probably explains why the trial was so extensive
maddening of all Tak antecedents is the game com- and the records so detailed.
monly known as Taket. It is barely half the age of
Kaen and Locke, but we know far less about it. The two litigants spent the better part of a week
engaged in a cutthroat series of Taket games.
Mentions of Taket appear in literature, folk songs, Stakes were high, and at the end involved the
court records, and other documents spanning deed to an entire meadery.
centuries. But despite all of this, the details of the
rules are rarely mentioned, and so the particulars When the brewer lost the deed, he turned to the
of the game remain a mystery to this day. courts to dispute the legitimacy of the game and
regain his property.
Taket is the first game in which we see an explicit
mention of variable board size. Taket boards sur- From these notes, and other documents from the
vive in 4x4, 5x5, and 6x6 sizes, with sets of stones same era, we get a muddy but interesting picture
ranging between 10 and 30 pieces to a side. In this of the rules for Taket.
way and several others, the game seems closely
related to modern Tak, but probably without cap- In Taket, players seem to have started with some
stones, and with several other notable differences. pieces on the board, as in Locke, though their
exact configuration is not known. This may have
varied by region, and may also have been different
for the first and second player.
Some modern scholars theorize that the location

and number of pieces on the board may have in-
corporated a handicapping system, but there is not
enough information to substantiate this.
Partial Taket sets survive in various materials and

sizes. Hard leather boards, reversible with a 6x6
pattern on the obverse and 5x5 on the reverse, are
fairly common. Surviving sets include pieces of
carved stone, wood, and precious metals.
Others claim that this passage does not disagree
with the modern rule, and that all stones were the
same type of piece, and played by the same rules,
but that because of their irregular shapes, some of
them simply could not support other pieces.
It is well documented that players carried their

own personal sets of stones for Taket, perhaps (as
suggested above) with a customized mix of stand-
ing and flat stones.
Traditionally, each player brought only his own

pieces to the game, not enough for both players.
The assumption was that anyone who knew the
game would also carry his or her own half-set.
There is some mention of “taking the blind,” or

playing with your opponent’s pieces, which means
that while a player might configure her own set
to her personal style of play, her opponent always
had the option to “take the blind” and swap piece
But the strange variety of piece sets is baffling, sets.
seeming to have neither a consistent number of
pieces nor shapes. Given this, it is impossible to To a modern sensibility this seems somewhat
know how many pieces were used, or even if there absurd since if one “takes the blind,” he also forces
was a common standard. his opponent to play with his own set, which could
be engineered to play terribly. So there are obvi-
Another tantalizing clue to the details of Taket is ously aspects of this custom that we don’t fully
found in Merina’s biography of Maern Louce. He understand.
mentions an occasion in which, in a game of “Takt”
between the court composer and his mistress, she Today, the practice of carrying one’s own half-set
“runs short of standing pieces.” has mostly disappeared, and Tak sets include a full
two-player complement of pieces. But the mod-
Some Tak scholars interpret this offhand phrase as ern tradition of carrying a unique and individual
clear evidence of two distinctly different kinds of capstone seems to stem from the personal sets of
piece, including normal and “standing” stones. stones in Taket.
Not only was Tinuë a shining beacon for art and
Modegan Tak education during the reign of Verian, but the city
was also an unparalleled hub of economic, politi-
cal, and military power.
The first game that we can call nearly identical to
modern Tak is the Modegan game also called Tak, Much as roving mercenaries carried Kaen with
which was probably a descendant of Taket. them and spread it like the flux, so did merchants,
courtiers, and scholars carry Modegan Tak from
Modegan Tak was described by Enile Lanuet, in Tinuë out into the world.
her seminal but awkwardly titled Games and Wars.
In addition to describing the rules of play, Lanuet
In this volume she includes not only full rules for also gives names to many of the strategies and
the game, but a lengthy strategy document and gambits. It says a great deal that, even now, it is
several clear illustrations of historical and other- through her treatise that many modern players
wise notable games. learn their strategy, as well as game terms such as
Hunters, Tumblers, Reserves, and so forth.
Lanuet claims in no uncertain terms that the game
is of Modegan origin, and hers is the eldest de- Of course, since then, some rules have changed.
tailed written reference by a span of 80 years. And one must admit that even the modern game
of Tak can be said to be multiple games, both in
It may be wrong to read any particular historical etiquette and in the written rules.
significance into this fact, as other such records
doubtless existed, but were lost in the burning of The rules to Modegan Tak can best be summed up
Caluptena. by its few differences with the modern game. To
wit:
While we know the game itself is Modegan, our
historical knowledge of it is colored by the fact Board and Pieces: The only board sizes are 4x4, 5x5
that it rose to prominence in the Court of Verian and 6x6. All games include one capstone.
Loeclos at a time many consider the high point of
the power of Tinuë and its attendant court and First Turn: White always goes first. Players play
kingdom. their own piece on the first turn.
Whatever the game’s origin, the fact that Tak was Starting Player: The loser of the game takes the
popular in this particular time and place is hugely white pieces (and the lead) in the next game.
significant.
Draws: If the game is a draw, Black wins.
Terms and Phrases:
The Language of Tak
P
layers new to Tak can often be confronted Captives: Pieces of the
with a great deal of new terminology, above opposite color that are
and beyond that which is required to actu- contained within a stack.
ally play the game. Below is a list of common game Also called Prisoners. (Pieces
terms and Tak-related colloquialisms that may of the same color are called
help ease your way into the community of players. Reserves, q.v.)
For the scholarly among you, I have included some The stack pictured at right
notes on the regionality of the terms, and extended is controlled by Black, and
some of my own theories as to their etymological contains two white captives
origins. and one black reserve.
Aturan Start: To start the game by throwing each Coverage: Roughly, the proportion of enemy
player’s first piece onto the board, intended to give pieces that are captive. “High coverage” means that
the game a more random start. Traditionally one a large ratio of enemy pieces are in stacks under
throws one’s own piece, not the opponent’s. your control.
Brooker’s Fall: To run out a tall stack in order to Crushing: The act of a capstone moving onto a
crush one of your own standing stones with your standing stone and converting it into a flat stone.
capstone, creating a more powerful and strategi- Also Toppling or Flattening.
cally advantageous piece.
Guard: A standing stone placed near a stack as a
Caning: In phrases like “Getting Caned” or “Tak- blocker, usually to keep a capstone from moving to
ing a Caning” this refers to being badly beaten. its full reach.
Specifically, a humiliating defeat delivered by an
opponent with less experience, or someone of Hawking: Capturing a stack of your opponent’s
lower intellect or social class. stones (over several turns) by gathering them up
with a standing stone or capstone. This is a gam-
Doubtless this is an old piece of slang referring to be- bit overtly intended to collect a large number of
ing beaten by a rustic opponent who could only afford captives. This term appears to be regional to the
a homemade set of cane pieces. Commonwealth.
Terms and Phrases: The Language of Tak 19

Hipper: (archaic) A very tall stack of pieces that
greatly exceeds the carry limit of the board. Also
occasionally called a Tall Tower.
Hunter: A stack of two same-color stones. Also

called a Thane (Vintas) or a Strahl (Modeg).
Fall: Another word for moving a tall stack (see

Brooker’s Fall). Sometimes also called a Slide.
Merk: To defeat an opponent without using your
Foot: A connection to the edge of the board. Based capstone. This concept seems to be one of the
on “foothold.” To “lose a foot” is to lose or sacrifice most common in the game, with many regional
one’s connection to an edge. variants. Also Routed, Shut Out, Haket (Siaru), or
Asaou (Modegan).
Lady: A stack of pieces, usually at least three high,
topped by a capstone and a piece of matching Ever the sensationalist, Geoffrey Monmut implies that
color. This is a powerful stack which takes some ef- “Getting Merked” is a derogatory term that derives
fort to construct. Also referred to as a Proud Lady, from the word “Merkin.” Unfortunately, his theory
a Pike, a Stripe (Vintas), or a Cimbrel (Modeg). tells us more about Monmut’s personal history and
proclivities than it does the history of the word itself.
Leg Over: A quick, early-game win, in which a
player essentially covers all or nearly all enemy A much more reasonable (though still unlikely) expla-
pieces, surprising an inexperienced player. nation comes from one of Maris Cintor’s first works
on Tak, where she suggests the term derives from the
Lug: A strategically impotent capstone, so called Ademic “Amarke,” a dueling term that refers to strik-
due to its location in a distant part of the board, ing your enemy so quickly that the blow lands before
inability to move, etc. “Lugging” means trying to they can ready their own weapon.
get this piece into a better position.
It is with deference and respect that I offer my own
Marred Tower: A tall stack topped by a wall, suggestion, that this term refers to the infamous
especially one where the wall is directly atop the Breon Mercer, who traveled the world living by his
opposite color. Also Married. One might suspect that wits and his winnings from Tak. Reportedly, Mercer
the term “Married” references the alternating colors of was capable of playing the subtlest of courtly games,
the pieces. Or that it is “Marred” by being less power- but when money was on the line, he was known to
ful than the Lady. However, it is my suspicion that this eschew the niceties of play, and destroy his opponents
is actually a corruption of the Modegan word “Amari.” with astonishing tactical brutality.
Palace: A 2x2 arrangement of flat stones of the name was silent. However, most people reading Enile
same color. Commonly believed to be a strong, Lanuet’s work in various flawed translations would
versatile configuration. Also called a Castle or Fort. have no way of knowing this, so Monmut’s mistake is
Given the ubiquity of military terms, I suspect the understandable, if not acceptable.
term “palace” to be a corruption of “palisade” rather
than a reference to a royal estate. Stone: In some regions, “Stone” refers only to the
flat or standing piece, while “Piece” includes stones
Pocket: A strategically powerful empty space, and capstones. Elsewhere, “Stone” is the preferred
next to two tall stacks. Coined to describe a good term for all types of Tak piece.
location to place a wall or capstone. Also called a
Tuck (archaic.) Taking the Blind: This is an older custom of
choosing to play with your opponent’s pieces, from
Reach: Of a stack of pieces, the distance that the a time when each player carried their own set.
top stone can move. Taller stacks have more reach.
Temskin Wall: A line of standing stones that
Reserves: Pieces contained within a stack that is completely prevents an opponent from making a
controlled by the same color. (See Captives.) road. One of Lanuet’s original terms, this is named
for a Baronet who used this strategy frequently and
Running Out: Moving a tall stack a long distance, to good effect. While technically this applies only to
usually to complete a road. a board that is completely walled off, it is frequently
used to describe a less-effective strategy from any
Skinning: To delay a loss through the excessive wall-heavy opponent.
or desperate play of standing stones. This strategy
can prevent any roads from being complete, and Trifoil: A double-road win that simultaneously
thus force the opponent into a lesser-valued flat connects all four edges of the board. Not techni-
win. Also “Skin the Game.” cally better than a normal road win, but infinitely
more showy.
In his recent work on Tak, Geoffrey Monmut proposes
that this term originates from someone avoiding a loss Tumbler: A tall stack with a capstone atop a piece
by the “skin of his teeth.” While Monmut’s attempt of the opposite color. This type of stack is more
to engage in serious etymology is laudable, he should common but less powerful than a Lady.
leave it to those with proper training. This term obvi-
ously derives from the “Temskin Wall.” Unwinding: Reversing the game to allow a player
to undo an unwise move. Also Reeling Back.
As a linguist, I feel obliged to point out that Baronet
Temskin was Veltish, and therefore the “S” in his Wall: Another term for a standing stone.
Terms and Phrases: The Language of Tak 21
Of a Piece: The Origin and Meaning of
Tak Piece Shapes
W
hile much has been written about the A cane or “rustic” set is made of rough circular
game of Tak, relatively little has been pieces with a small slice cut off the bottom. This
said about the equipment used to play “foot” allows them to stand upright. Traditionally
the game. In some ways this oversight is quite un- these sets were hand-made from saplings, which is
derstandable, as the game is highly abstracted in doubtless where the term “cane” comes from.
its pieces. (As opposed to a game like Fortua where
pieces are stylized to the point of archetype, and True rustic sets, made from saplings, are distin-
the interplay of lancers, masons, beggars, and the guishable by their irregular sizes and curves, and
like create narrative as they interact.) have concentric rings at the center of the piece. A
passage from a little-known anonymous text titled
While the iconography of Tak is not nearly so fer- simply Games of the Commonwealth describes the
tile a field as Fortua, there are still some elements process by which these sets were made.
of note if we look into the provenance and cultural
underpinning of some piece shapes. Choose a straight staff of a hard-stock tree,
throughout two fingers wide, and mostly
without shoots from shoulder to palm. Let
stand to dry. Dress and mark it at quarter-
inches, flat cut and chop the foot. Save two
shorts for carving the capitals. Sand with
stone or rasp, and finish with light oil for the
day pieces, dark stain and oil for the night.

Aside from staining, other techniques for coloring
Cane Pieces the dark pieces include charring, and simply leav-
ing on the bark. Of course, the two sides can also
The flat-bottomed round stones shown above are be made from different varieties of wood.
traditionally referred to as “cane” pieces. In recent
years, some players have started to refer to them In the modern day, when manufactured sets are so
as “coins.” While it is easy to assume the origin of easy to come by and even the most disreputable of
this shape has something to do with money, quite dockside bars will likely have one, it is rare to see a
the opposite is actually the case. true handmade cane set except as a novelty.
Of a Piece: The Origin and Meaning of Tak Piece Shapes 23
Manufactured cane sets are more uniform in
shape, of course, and are probably more deserving
of the name “coin” sets. Though honestly, at this
point the terms are becoming hopelessly inter-
mingled, and the distinctions are of interest only
to those of us who care enough to vainly fight to
maintain the perfect clarity of language.
Some recent works on the subject (most notably in

Tavern Pieces
Geoffrey Monmut’s embarrassingly ill-researched
and muddily worded Tak: A Primer and Play) have These days, most easily-attainable Tak sets contain
suggested the term “cane” might be descended simple, square pieces. These shapes are easy to pro-
from the ancient game called Kaen. duce and inexpensive to purchase or replace. I’ve
heard these square piece sets referred to, often in a
Such an assertion is, of course, foolish to the point derogatory tone, as tavern sets or tavern pieces.
of embarrassment. Such a mistake is understand-
able coming from someone of Yllish descent, who is Surprisingly, this derision seems to be a modern
somewhat new to the concept of the written word. invention. In my extensive research into piece
types, I discovered a handwritten disposition of a
But still, a scholar whose true areas of expertise farmer, which contained the following section:
center more on fermentation, distillation, and
gastronomic biology should know enough to leave To myne eldest sonne Welle, I leave him the land
this sort of work to those of us who have made his due. And the stock as his due. Also the hause
genuine study of linguistics, history, and the other and the appointments of the hause. It is his due,
literary disciplines. though I giff it more gladly to his family and kinde
wif and wee boys than I do to him.
But Danne shall have my prize bullock, or the sale

of it, or damme all yourn eyes. And also he shall
haff myne boughten tak board and bits. For while
Wellie is eldest and has a wif. He has my whole
life giffen me only his duty. But Danne has been
the joye of myne heart. And he has broughten me
gladness in these last years. I would have him take
myne fyne boughten bits and remember me as he
play. For Wellie, the cane is good enough for him.
This passage suggests that at the time of this These factors are the more likely reason for the
disposition, a mere 60 years ago, the cane set was popularity of the Merchant shape than the idea of
seen as being less desirable than the tavern set. noble merchants playing Tak with gold.
Which, given your average farmer’s lack of ready Whatever its origin, the fact remains that the trap-
coin for “boughten” goods, makes a certain ezoid has become the most common piece shape in
amount of sense. Temerant.
Sometimes, full Tak sets are composed of half cane

and half merchant (different shapes for different
colors) to provide additional visual distinction.
All-trapezoid sets are also common, sometimes

made of metals such as iron or copper. Such pieces
are almost always heavily decorated or engraved,
no doubt due to the terrifying anti-counterfeiting
strictures set forth in the Quiat Auriam.
Merchant Pieces
The familiar Cealdish trapezoid has recently be-

come a favorite shape for Tak pieces. Anecdotally,
the tradition of jot-shaped pieces originated with
wealthy nobles playing Tak with money. While
Cealdish coins, especially those versions from
several hundred years ago, work well as pieces, it
is doubtful this was ever done, especially given the
disparity in the values of different metals.
It is more likely that trapezoids are preferred be-

cause of their simple, sturdy shape. They are more
visually appealing than a square, and they stand
more easily due to a lower center of gravity.
Their simplicity also makes them easier to produce

and they are therefore cheaper than manufactured
cane pieces, which require a lathe.
The owners of both these boards claimed that they
were Yllish in origin, and while I have no evidence
Other Pieces to substantiate this, neither do I have any reason
to doubt it.
Across the world, there seems to be no end to
the variety of Tak piece shapes. Within the basic I have also known many enterprising players to
requirements of the game (standing, stacking, and commission their own sets with uniquely shaped
moving without slipping apart), there is room for a pieces, no doubt thinking themselves the new
good deal of artistry and craftsmanship. Jezzered.
In my travels I have seen Tak sets made from horn, Occasionally this leads to something aesthetically
bone, fine hardwood, and carved stone. pleasing. But frequently, if the designer has more
creativity than sense, the pieces do not play well.
The novelty of a triangular set wears off at the ex-
act moment one’s carefully constructed Lady spills
unexpectedly across the board, ruining the game
and costing the player a well-earned victory.
One particularly fine scrimshaw set was similar to

a cane set, with a flat base and round top, but it
had straight sides, basically a square with the top
corners rounded off. The owner was a student who
hailed from a coastal city to the south of Atur. He
claimed it was the preferred shape where he came
from, and called it a “Coluba” set.
I have seen pieces in the shape of pentagons,

hexagons and octagons. Though these are usually
wooden, I have seen two handsome stone sets
with geometric designs, which were accompanied
by cunningly worked leather boards instead of the
more familiar wooden ones.
Wealthier players, or those who play the courtly
game, will sometimes collect a single theme or
Capstones: Common and Personal
style of capstones, or those featuring a favorite
animal, exhibiting a new one on every occasion as
In the era of Trio and Taket, players traditionally a dandy might exhibit a new silken doublet.
carried their own half-sets of pieces. Today, this
tradition endures in the form of unique capstones. It is said that Jezzered played with an emerald
Serious Tak players often create, trade, and even capstone carved in the shape of flower, until he
wager custom capstones in all shapes and kinds. lost it to Breon Mercer, to whom he later referred
as “a beast in the skin of a man.”
In a pinch, literally any small object can perform
the work of a capstone. It merely needs to be a I have known some players who would never deign
distinct shape, and capable of sitting on a stack of to play for money, but who will readily play a game
flat stones. So one can use almost anything: a ring, for a capstone.
a gemstone, a die, or a figurine.
Most frequently, this seems to be a form of social
one-upmanship. I have been to several homes
where players have displays of the capstones from
their defeated foes.
But I have also seen this tradition turn unpleas-

antly mercenary when a player who could not bear
to be parted from a beloved capstone was forced to
ransom it back for a considerable amount of hard
currency.
Most manufactured sets come with capstones

of some appropriate size and shape, and these
are suitable for some players. But many prefer to
replace these caps with new pieces of a more per-
sonal nature.
Many capstones have sentimental value. Travelers

sometimes keep souvenirs specifically for use as
capstones, and some enterprising merchants are
known to sell trinkets intended for such use.
Two Faces of Beauty:
Courtly vs. Street Tak
T
ak is a singular game. Deceptively simple. ever-doubling stakes. They play against the clock.
Surprisingly deep. When I first read Maris They grant no quarter, and neither do they beg it.
Cintor’s work on the subject, the game
found its way into my heart and has never left. Let me say this in a different way: The purpose of
street Tak is winning. The purpose of courtly Tak is
But there is a cultural divide in the game that I showing that you are the better player.
rarely see discussed. Two different types of play,
which I think of as courtly Tak, and street Tak. With that paradox in mind, let us examine some
particular differences in these styles of play.
Courtly Tak is typically played for intellectual and
social gains. Games are slower. Tactics and strategy
are valued. Gentility and courtesy are essential.
Street Tak is played primarily for physical or

monetary gains. Games tend to be faster. Surprise
and cunning are valued. Manners are more brash,
and it is not uncommon for players to be bullied or
insulted.
Let me stress that these different types of play

have little to do with the setting. I have seen bru-
tal, angry games played in opulent sitting rooms. I
have also seen civility and grace play out across an
ale-soaked tavern table. Street Tak
It may seem that I am displaying a bias here, and You can find a game of street Tak in any pub or
this is true: I prefer courtly Tak. It suits my natural tavern. It’s usually the 5x5 game, but “street Tak”
gifts and temperament. I enjoy considered play, is more about an attitude than a set of game rules.
gentility, and the admiration of my peers. That At the very least you’ll play for points, but more
said, I know good players whose focus is otherwise. typically you’re playing for money. Your goal is to
They love the thrill of money changing hands and win, as big as possible.
Two Faces of Beauty: Courtly vs. Street Tak 29
Players rarely call “Tak” in this environment. After Courtly Tak
all, what fool warns her opponent that she is about
to win? The perfect victory is a quick, stealthy win, The civility of courtly Tak is usually reserved for
snapping like the jaws of a trap. If they can’t see it the stately homes of those in high office, removed
coming, the fault lies with your victims. Sweep up from the filth and bustle of city life.
your winnings and reset the board.
However, as I mentioned above, some people can
By the same token, turns are rarely forgiven or transcend their environment and play with class in
taken back freely, although some house rules any locale.
allow a player to pay a penalty or invoke a doubling
token to walk the game back. When playing courtly Tak, it’s important to
remember that the point is not strictly to win. The
I have known some street Tak games to be timed, point is to prove that you are the better player.
though this can be cumbersome without access to
a gear watch or a harmony clock. In a timed game, This means, among other things, that you always
the emphasis is on quick wit and cunning, rather call Tak. Warning your opponents of their predica-
than elaborate strategy and tactics. ment allows them to play their best game.
There is a complex game beyond the board in street What pride is there in winning by surprise? I want
Tak, a manipulation of advantages. Bluffs and my opponent to see my victory rolling toward
feigned weakness. Intimidation and the use of them, brilliant and unstoppable.
distracting or misleading chatter.
Similarly, if my opponents realize they have made
The cost of a bottle of fine Yllish wine might be a mistake, they should be allowed to take back
considered an investment against future winnings their moves, even running the game back to the
as you attempt to blur your opponent’s wits with beginning if appropriate.
drink.
I once saw Maris play against a skilled Modegan
Because of these things, a player who loses three Lord by the name of Sovoy. They were halfway
small wagers but scores a huge purse on the fourth through a marvelously elaborate game when Sovoy
game has beaten her opponent in the game beyond remarked, “I’m so sorry. I made a mess with my
the board. capstone three turns back.”
This is the heart of street Tak, and assuming that “I was wondering about that,” Maris said. “It
all parties know the rules, it can be a beautiful seemed a bad play, but I didn’t know if you might
thing. have some secret hiding in the middle of it.”
“No,” he said. “Simple foolishness. Would you mind Though betting is not commonly a part of courtly
terribly if we reel it back a bit?” Tak, there is still a great deal to the game beyond
the board.
“Not at all,” she said graciously. “It seems a shame
to let a blunder like that spoil so delightful a Coins do not change hands, but there is still a
game.” great deal of social currency to be won or lost.
They reversed their moves, then played again from For example, in a courtly game, the first person to
the spot where Sovoy had made his error. And, in play a capstone has lost a small battle.
the end, Sovoy won the game.
This player is admitting that he needs his capstone
A street player would doubtless shake his head at to win, or at the very least that he is afraid of his
this. Maris could have won easily, but she didn’t. opponent or the current situation.
Therefore, in the street player’s eyes, this type of
play was foolish bordering on insanity. In any case, when your opponent brings out his
capstone first, you’ve scored a small victory.
But courtly players vie for a different kind of win.
Without Maris’ permission, Sovoy couldn’t have You also score social points when you execute a dif-
undone his mistake, and would surely have lost ficult strategy against your opponent. When you
the game. So who was really in control? The person trap their capstone into uselessness, or cover and
who won, or the person who allowed him to win? capture their pieces to the point of frustration.
When you push them from threat to threat, giving
I will tell you, there was no doubt among the spec- them no chance to recover or regroup, or transi-
tators as to who had made the better showing. tion from a Temskin defense into a Brooker’s fall
and thence to victory.
Maris. Always Maris.
None of these things will put a penny in your
Think of when you last taught a new player. Was purse, but all of them are beautiful, and each of
there any shame at losing to your pupil? Certainly them shows your mastery of the game to anyone
not, because it’s understood that the teacher is not who understands what they are watching.
playing to win. You should be proud when your
student sees an opening and capitalizes on it. And even if no one is watching, your opponent
knows. And no matter how they might smile, you
This shows you are experienced enough to teach know that they know.
the game, wise enough to leave an opening, and
humble enough to let your student win. That is the joy of courtly Tak.
Two Faces of Beauty: Courtly vs. Street Tak 31
Customs and Variations:
Tak Around the World
T
ak is known in all the four corners of the Downings: “Double the Line.” If the winning road
world, from The Ceald to Vintas, from is a straight line, the loser pays double the win-
Modeg to Ademre. With such a broad ner’s piece count. For example, if a player wins
range, there are sure to be variations in the game with a straight line and has 7 pieces remaining,
from one place to the next. Below are a few exam- her opponent pays the usual 10 coins for the board
ples of how the game looks and plays in different (as mentioned above), plus 14 for the remaining
locations and cultures around the world. pieces (7 coins doubled).
The Tarway: “Low Road, High Road.” Relatively

Tarbean: The Fractured City few taverns are found in the Tarway, yet it is the
most densely populated region of Tak players in
In Tarbean, the game of Tak is more or less the Tarbean. They tend to play Low Road, High Road
familiar 5x5 game, 21+1 pieces per side, using the (“Tarway Rules”).
common rules of play. However, there are several
Tarbean variations on how the game is scored. Under these rules, a player collects double for his
pieces if he wins with a road entirely of height one
Throughout the city, the common gambling (a low road), or triple if his road is entirely stacks
penalty is “Ten for the Board,” meaning that the of height two or more (a high road). A capstone by
winner collects only 10 coins for the board (rather itself counts as a height-one stack.
than 25), plus the count of his unplayed pieces.
If a road could take multiple paths, the winner may
While this sounds like it would make the game choose the one most favorable to him.
cheaper, it merely shifts more of the value to the
pieces, rather than the board, since players choose It is said that Breon Mercer once won a Tarway
proportionally higher stakes. game by making both a high and low road on the
same move. After some heated debate, his oppo-
Additional penalty rules vary from place to place, nent agreed to pay him six times his piece count.
and usually involve multiplying the piece value However, the story also says that after that, no
based on different special victories. The most one in the entirety of the Tarway would play
common alternative rules are found in Downings, against Mercer, forcing him to leave and earn his
the Tarway, and Middletown. livelihood elsewhere.
Customs and Variations: Tak Around the World 33
Middletown: “Double the Cap.” It’s assumed
that Middletown rules are so called because they
originated there, but this variant is actually known
throughout the entirety of Tarbean, through much
of the Commonwealth and Atur, and well into the
Ceald.
Under these rules, a player’s piece score is doubled

if he wins without playing his capstone. So, for ex-
ample, if a player wins with 4 pieces left, including
his cap, the penalty for the piece count is 8 coins.
Big Middle: Players in Middletown also play the

“Big Middle” rule, where winning without your
Capstone entitles you to double points for the
board as well as your pieces.
This is less expensive than it sounds, since Tarbean

players only pay 10 points for the board. Should
Atur: A Random Start
someone playfully suggest playing “Big Middle”
with a 25-point board, especially after buying you It is well documented that Tak players in Atur had
several drinks, you should mind your purse. an amusing tradition of placing their first pieces
seemingly at random.
These regional variations are rarely combined into
one game, though they could be. Each group of Not at all carefully either, as there are several
players tends to treat their own home-turf rules accounts in which a player’s piece finds itself off
as sacred and singular. Traditionally, if there is a the board, on the floor, and most famously in the
conflict between multiple variants, the location of cleavage of a high ranking Modegan Cimbreline.
the game dictates the rules for the match.
Given these hints, we believe that players were
A traveler from Middletown visiting the house of a actually pitching their first piece onto the board,
man from Downings would play by the Downings giving the game a truly random start.
rules. Of course, this is of little help to those of
us who play outside of Tarbean, so I always advise There is also some indication that the position in
players to agree on any variant rules before the which the pieces landed was used to determine
first stone is played. who took the first move. Either by how well-
centered in its own square the piece landed, or as Dozens of enthusiasts have devoted themselves
Maris theorizes, by whoever’s piece landed closest to the game in recent years (your humble servant
to the center of the board. It’s also fairly clear that included), and nearly a hundred monographs and
if a player’s piece landed upright (standing) that papers have been written on the subject (again, I
was preferred over flat. must declare myself guilty). But the hub around
which this activity revolves is the inestimable
Today, some players at the University have taken Maris Cintor, Re’lar.
to playing with this so-called “Aturan Start.” This
behavior is typically exhibited by a lower class of Maris became enamored of Tak a decade ago,
player preferring taverns and pubs, rather than the while attempting to reconstruct the rules to Trio
slightly more respectable gaming halls and cafés. from the scant textual evidence. In addition to her
groundbreaking scholarly research on that subject,
Oddly, the current fashion seems to be to throw Maris has grown to be the University’s preeminent
one’s opponent’s piece in an “Aturan” start. Gen- Tak strategist, and is singlehandedly responsible
erally speaking, I consider what drunkards do in for a complete solution to the 3x3 game.
their own time to be their own business, but as a
historian I feel the need to stress that in the classic Maris’ most recent endeavor has been an attempt
Aturan Start, a player absolutely pitched her own to calculate the ideal number of standing stones
piece. and flat stones, based on her theoretical rules for
Taket, for she believes that in its era there were
two distinct kinds of piece.
Tak at the University
The core question: in an environment where a
As mentioned above, Tak has recently undergone a player must choose (before the game) how many of
renaissance among players at the University. Over his own pieces are flat, and how many are stand-
the last decade, we have seen a great upwelling of ing, what is the right number of each?
interest in Tak in our corner of civilization.
The argument may be somewhat academic, since
Scrivs and scholars have unearthed old variants of the rules of Taket aren’t known (and likely differed
play and attempted to decipher lost rule sets from from place to place). But for this research, Maris
anecdotal evidence in records. is evaluating this question in terms of the most
common modern rules. And as she has a mind like
Students specializing in advanced maths are no other, I eagerly await the results of her work in
inventing new ways to play, while rhetoricians are this area, and have no greater hope than that she
developing new gambits and questioning conven- call on me whensoever she could use my paltry
tional modes of play. assistance.
University Gambling Rules: “Femr’s Folly” Starting Wager: To begin, each player makes a
wager equal to the size of the board. Typically this
While many at the University admire Tak as a is a 5x5 board, so the bet is 25 coins.
thing unto itself, there are those among us who
cannot thrill at a purely abstract pursuit. Indeed, Definition: A “row” of coins is equal to the width of
these players routinely exhibit the compulsion to the board. So in a 5x5 game, a “row” is 5 coins.
associate their prowess with some sort of material
gain. Starting Player: The first player is always chosen at
random (not by taking turns). To counteract the
One might expect this sort of behavior to be con- first player’s advantage, which Femr postulates as
fined to those from merchant families, tradesmen, a 10% edge, the second player is allowed to deduct
and those of Yllish descent. But the regrettable one row of coins from his bet.
truth is that even the sons and daughters of highly
regarded families take delight in finding new ways First Tak Award: The first player to call “Tak” takes
to gamble on this noblest of games. a row from the pot. (Note: Calling “Tak” is never
required, except to collect this award.)
While several methods have been devised for wa-
gering on Tak, one system in particular has risen Standing Stone Penalty: The first player to play a
to primacy since its introduction in Gerad Femr’s standing stone must pay one row to the pot.
embarrassingly titled: “Arithmetical Assessments of
Tak: Strategy, Solutions, and Schema.” Capstone Penalty: The first player to play his cap-
stone must pay two rows to the pot.
I include the rules here in an effort to be as thor-
ough as possible, and to perform my duty as a Reverse Moves: A player may take back one move,
scholar, for the benefit of future generations, set- but must pay one row to the pot. Once a player
ting aside my personal distaste for their author. takes back a move, the privilege to do so passes
to the other player. This is tracked with a marker
While it’s undeniable that Femr’s formulae are similar to the doubling marker in Kaen.
unassailable, even clever, I hope that I may be of
value by describing his wagering schema in clear Endgame Award: The winner takes the pot, as well
and precise terms. as a penalty from the loser equal to the number
of pieces left in the winner’s reserve. (This is the
Aturan, after all, is not his native language, and it usual “board and pieces” rule.)
has been said by many that his own explanations
are, at some points, far too cunning to be under- Flat Win Penalty: If a player wins on the flats, he
stood. must refund one row to his opponent.
Third, the Adem take an odd pride in laying down
their stones silently. Rather than calling “Tak”
Ademre: The Quiet Game verbally, they place the threatening piece so as to
make a quiet but audible click on the board.
As previously described, some of Tak’s earliest
origins come from Ademre in the strategy game Because of their play style, the Adem will find it
Locke. As a result, while most Adem are aware of irritating if you attempt to talk to them during the
Tak, many see the added complexity as unneces- game, and especially if you click your stones down
sary, and consider it a “barbarian’s game.” with every play. Also, if you aren’t listening for
their particular way of declaring a threat, it is easy
However, I have made the effort to play Tak with to miss it, and believe that your opponent is not
several traveling mercenaries, and have spoken calling Tak at all.
with others who have done the same. Their expe-
riences mirror mine, in that we found the Adem I mention these details only because I believe in
quite skilled at the game, though they did express being as considerate as possible when playing
some unique preferences in their method of play. with those from other lands who are possessed of
strange customs. This is doubly true when they are
The 5x5 game is the most popular, doubtless due well-armed and prone to violence. And I would not
to the similar board in Locke. However, the Adem have you offend or irritate such dangerous persons
prefer to play Tak without a capstone. On a 5x5 accidentally.
board, they use 22 or 24 flats, and no capstone.
I will mention a few other peculiarities of Ademic

play which I find interesting, though they are not
technically variants of the rules.
First, those Adem with whom I have spoken rarely

wish to gamble, and when they do, it is for trivial
stakes. This is true even when playing by their
preferred rules, and despite the fact that they
seem to be quite excellent players.
Second, it should not surprise you that the Adem

do not chatter while they play. Personally, I find
this refreshing, but it may disconcert players who
are less familiar with their cultural foibles.
The Traveling Cap
Tak and the Edema Ruh The rule for the traveling (or trouper’s) cap seems
to have originated in Atur. But today, it’s primarily
The Edema Ruh are itinerant performers. They attributed to the Edema Ruh, which seems to be
travel the length and breadth of Temerant, moving more a romantic notion than a sensible one.
in isolated and tight-knit family groups.
While this ancient rule has passed mostly out of
While possessed of a certain rough cunning, the fashion, it is still popular among the Ruh, and this
Ruh are not a complex people, and are therefore is no doubt where they get the impression that
ill-suited to the complicated strategies of Tak. they invented it. When playing Tak with the Ruh,
it is appropriate to ask, “trouper rules?” to clarify
Notwithstanding this, many Ruh do play Tak. But whether the game is being played with the rules
the discerning player will avoid such games, espe- for the traveling cap.
cially when money is at stake. It is well known that
what the Ruh cannot earn by honest labor, they The traveling capstone has an extra type of move:
will happily glean through deception, cheating, it can relocate anywhere along a road of its own
and outright theft. color. To do this, the capstone must start and fin-
ish on a piece of its own color.
Being of simple means, and not suited by their
temperament to careful labor of hands, most Ruh Under those conditions, the traveling cap can
players possess foraged or rough-made Tak sets of move, by itself, to any position on a connected
the “peasant” or “cane” variety, or crude things cut string of flats, taking no pieces with it.
from bone or antler.
This odd variant rule is today seen as a novelty at
Should you see a Ruh with a finer set than this, it best. At worst, it is a subversion of the elegance of
would be generous (though probably erroneous) to the game. And the first time your enemy’s Cap-
assume that he purchased it from a skilled crafts- stone jumps miraculously across the board, you
man, or was given it as a gift by his patron. should at least be forewarned of the possibility.
In most of Atur, asking “trouper rules?” is a small

courtesy intended to prevent misunderstandings.
But outside Atur, and among players of civility,
it’s best to remain silent on the issue. Asking the
question cannot help but mark a player as embar-
rassingly rustic.
confidence to raise the stakes. Then the tide will
turn and you will be ruined, often before you even
understand what has transpired.
Their first victory will come seemingly by luck.

Then they will triumph again, through some
surprising gambit. And before you know it, you
will be a desperate soul, doubling the stakes and
begging for one more chance to get even, retiring
Concerning Tak Hustlers in disgrace, and writing home to your unforgiv-
ing father, to explain why you cannot cover your
While on the subject of the Edema Ruh, I feel com- term’s tuition despite the ample funds he sent.
pelled to address the broader issue of Tak hustlers,
or “cleaners.” Indeed, it is not only novices who need beware.
If you know anything of Tak, you know the stories It is comforting to imagine that all cleaners are
of Breon Mercer, a charming rogue who traveled easily spotted. As traveling scoundrels, they drift
the world in high style, financed mainly by his into town as loudly and obviously as the Edema
winnings at Tak. Or of the legendary Teni Meran, Ruh. But this is sadly not the case.
whose unique string of victories relied little on
having any skill at the game, but solely on the Experienced players will not fall prey to grubby
gullibility of the other players. drifters with dust in their hair. But we can trust
too much. We can be deceived with a charming
Toward the end of his life, Breon Mercer reputedly Yllish accent and the promise of friendship.
lamented that the thrill had gone out of the game,
as people would line up just for the privilege of So I am telling you, beware. You may think some-
losing to him. one a colleague in scholarship. You may believe you
are united in your love of the Beautiful Game. But
However, it is important to realize that while though you might feel someone a friend, they can
Mercer and Meran are romantic figures, there are bide their time, gain your trust, then take unfair
many far more unsavory characters who follow in advantage of you when you are uncharacteristi-
their footsteps in this modern day. cally in your cups. And while the loss of coin can be
painful, it is a small defeat compared to the loss of
If you are new to the game, be wary of such people. one’s dignity and innocence.
They will frequently lose a few games at first, play-
ing desperately and foolishly, and giving you the Or so I have heard.
Tak in Song:
The Ballad of Teni Meran
by Molly Lewis
T
his song describes the strange exploits of Tak, tak, the stones went down
a legendary Tak hustler. It was created for Tak and the stones went down
this book by songstress Molly Lewis.
Before the start of every game
Now let this poet bend your ear He drew his rival near
Her story you should know Respectfully to ask his name
Of what she saw, not far from here, And whisper in his ear.
And not so long ago
(And not so long ago) The challenger would pause in thought,
Or sometimes give a groan,
In Abbot’s Ford we lay our scene And then the stranger won the pot
A public house of brew And never moved a stone.
The stranger stood as close to me
As I am now to you. Tak, tak, the stones went down
Tak and the stones went down
This vagabond was gray and old
And wrinkled to his bones As rumors of this challenge spread,
But wagered he a pouch of gold The town was thunderstruck.
To play the game of stones “A winning streak so long,” they said,
“Cannot be merely luck,
Tak, tak, the stones went down “No one could have such luck!”
He played like none had seen before
The stranger threw this challenge down His secret no one knew.
His mastery to prove: And with each battle in the war
“I’ll play with anyone in town The sums of money grew.
And win without a move.
Yes, I’ll win without a move!” Tak, tak, the stones went down
To best a foe in such a way,
Can simply not be done Does he invoke a dreadful curse
But by some ruse or clever play, To rob his foes of breath?
He conquered every one! Perhaps he threatens something worse
Catastrophe or death?
Tak in Song: The Ballad of Teni Meran 41
There’s not a boy or girl alive The old man saw his act was blown
Who does not know these rules But never moved a single stone
Yet each opponent takes a dive The Hero made his victory known
Is this a town of fools? His prize was fairly earned!
He must take us for fools! A fortune fairly-earned!
At last the local champion Tak, tak, the stones went down
Agreed to join the game Run that trickster out of town!
“I’ll hear the reason for his run,
Then thrash him all the same!” The people cheered to watch him go
(Hooray!) I’ll thrash him all the same! His shoulders stooped in shame
But little did these people know
Tak, tak, the stones went down He had not lost his game.
This double-dealer’s losing play
“My friends,” he said, “If you’ll permit, Was in his partner’s plan:
I’ll make this mountebank admit She made a hundred bets that day
His tournament was counterfeit Against the whisp’ring man.
His victories unreal!”
The sack of gold he left behind
The old man swept the table clear Held pieces twenty-four,
And beckoned his opponent near But Teni’s wagers paid in kind
And spoke a secret in his ear And seven hundred more!
Which I shall now reveal:
You see, my friends, you’ll never cheat
“If you should lose this game to me A con-man at his game!
And pay me for my victory, He’ll make you feel you have him beat
The next game’s winnings pass to thee And rob you all the same.
Now, do we have a deal?”
I stand before you humbled by
Our hero seemed to acquiesce Respect for my old man.
His starting moves did not impress. Who handed down his methods
But after ten stones, more or less, To the author of this plan:
The tide began to turn. Your humble balladeer, who is
The trickster Teni Meran!
The young man did not take a fall
He laid a road and built a wall Tak, tak, the stones went down
The gathered crowd were rapt withal Tak and the stones went down!
To see the stranger burn. Tak, tak, and the stones went down!

Brain Teasers:
Tak Puzzles
by Ira Fay
F
ollowing is a set of Tak puzzles created for
this book by designer Ira Fay. In each puzzle,
Black can win in one or two turns.
For simplicity, these puzzles use a 4x4 board and

no capstones. They’re a fun way to practice your
strategy and learn the rules!
Answers are given at the end of this section.
Puzzle 1: Black wins in 1
Brain Teasers: Tak Puzzles 43



If the piece is a standing stone, add an S, as in Sc1.
If the piece is a capstone, add a capital C, as in Cb2.
Tak Notation
Movement is also written in the simplest terms
Before we give the answers to the puzzles above, possible. When moving a single piece, the only
you’ll want to learn Tak notation. This system of required designations are the original space and
recording Tak games is still fairly new, having been the direction. For example, moving a piece from
engineered in 2016 by Tak aficionado Benjamin a1 to a2 is written as “a1+” or “a1↑.”
Wochinski (user BenWo on Reddit).
When moving a stack, beginning with a numeral
As in chess, each board space is designated by a let- indicates that you are picking up that number
ter and a number, as shown below. of pieces from the stack. (If this is obvious, the
number can be ignored, such as when the stack
contains only one piece).
For example, taking 3 pieces off the stack on c2

and moving them south would be written as “3c2-”
or “3c2↓.”
When dropping pieces as you move, the number

of pieces dropped in each space along the path is
written at the end of the line. Again, if this is obvi-
ous, the numbers can be omitted.
Taking four pieces from a4 and moving them

east, dropping 1, 1, and 2, would be written thus:
“4a4>112” or “4a4→112.” The “112” at the end of
With North at the top, the cardinal directions N, this line indicates that pieces were dropped 1, 1,
S, W, and E are written either as +, -, <, and > (in and 2.
text) or with arrows: ↑, ↓, ←, and →.
What types of pieces are moving, what pieces get
The simplest notation is used for the most com- covered, and what other results happen (such as a
mon action: placement of a flat stone. This is just capstone flattening a wall) are not included as part
the name of the space. For example, placing a flat of this notation, because they can be derived by
at c2 above would be written as “c2.” following the game from the beginning.

Puzzle 7: 2b3→11. Move the stack on b3 east, leaving
a white stone on c3 and capturing the stack on d3 with
Puzzle Answers the black wall. White can do nothing to stop Black’s
next move, 2d3←, which uncovers a road on the D
Here are the solutions to the puzzles on pages 43-45. file. Note that White can’t place a blocking wall on c3
Of course, we suggest trying your hand at these puzzles because of the white flat stone that was left on c3 by
before reading through the solutions. Black’s first move.
Puzzle 1: 3b4↓12. Move the three stones from b4 Puzzle 8: a4. Place a flat stone on a4, creating two road
south along the B file, leaving one stone on b3 and two threats on a3 and b4. White’s only way to stop both
stones on b2 to complete a black road from E to W. threats is to move White’s wall on d3 with d3↑, but that
allows Black to win with a different road by playing d3.
Puzzle 2: 3a4→111. Move three stones from a4 east
across the 4th rank, leaving one stone per space. This Puzzle 9: d4↓. Move Black’s wall on d4 south one space
fills the board, and Black wins on flats, 7 to 6. to capture the stack on d3, which also stops White’s
immediate road threat. Black now threatens a road by
Puzzle 3: 3b1↑111. Move three stones on b1 north up 3d3↓12, which would leave a black stone on d2 to com-
the B file, leaving a white stone on b2, a white stone on plete the road on the 2nd rank. White could move the
b3, and a black stone on b4 to complete the road across large stack on d2, but a black stone would inevitably be
the 4th rank. This also creates a road for White, but left behind on d2, due to the carry limit of 4 stones. If
Black is the active player, so Black wins. the white stone ends on b2 or c2, Black recaptures and
completes the road with 4a2→22. If the white stone
Puzzle 4: 2d2←. Move the top 2 stones from d2 to the ends on a2, Black recaptures with a1↑.
west one space, uncovering the black stone on d2 to
complete a black road from N to S. Puzzle 10: 2b1↑. Move two stones from the b1 stack
north one space, threatening a road on either a2 or
Puzzle 5: c4↓. Move the stone on c4 south one space, b3. White’s only way to stop both threats is to move
capturing the white stone on c3. Black now threatens white’s wall on d2 to capture the b2 stack, but that al-
a road on either b3 or c2, and White can’t stop both lows black to win with a road on the D file with 2d1↑.
threats with a single place or move. If White blocks
with 2b4↓11, Black can complete a road on a3. Puzzle 11: 4c4←22. Move four stones from the c4
stack west, leaving two stones on b4 and two on a4.
Puzzle 6: 4a4↓22. Move four stones from the a4 stack This move leaves a white stone on c4 due to the carry
south, leaving two stones on a3 and two stones on a2. limit, but it creates two road threats for Black: one
That stops White’s road threat on a2, and also makes along the 4th rank with 2d4← (or 4a4→13) and the
a double road threat for Black on a1 or b2. White can’t other along the A file with 4a4↓13. White cannot stop
stop both threats. both roads in a single move.

Game Rules II:
Rules for Kaen and Locke
by James Ernest
K
aen and Locke are real games, created for However, the true goal of the game is to win
this booklet. Below are the rules to both, as money, and there are several ways for the game to
well as a short article about Patrick Roth- end without a finished bridge.
fuss’ early concepts for Tak.
Components: You need a game board, money for
betting, a die, a doubling marker, and about ten
stones per player (Tak pieces work nicely).
Board: A 4x4 Tak board is adequate for this game,

but it’s better if you can mark it with symbols to
match the die, as shown at left.
Money: Whether playing for real money or just

keeping score, you’ll need about 100 chips or coins
for each player.
Hut (Die): A traditional hut is marked with the

How to Play Kaen four symbols that designate the rows and columns
of the board, as shown at left. Of course, any
Kaen, also known as “From the Earth to the Sky,” is 4-sided die will do.
the oldest known road-building game in Temerant,
and is seen as a precursor to modern Tak. Doubling Marker: This can be any object, such as a
Tak capstone. This marker represents permission to
The board is a diamond-shaped 4x4 grid, shown double, and starts in a neutral state (i.e., granting
above, with the bottom edges representing “Earth” permission to both players).
and the top edges representing “Sky.”
When a player offers to double, the doubling
The goal is to build a bridge connecting Earth to marker passes to her opponent. Only that player
Sky. This is a line of orthogonally connected spaces can make the next offer to double, by passing it
that joins two opposite sides of the board, which is back, and so on. The marker returns to a neutral
exactly the same as a road in Tak. state at the end of each game.
Game Rules II: Rules for Kaen and Locke 49
To Begin On Each Turn
Players choose opposite sides of the diamond Usually, you start your turn by rolling the die.
board. Clear the board and place the doubling (Other options are listed under “Before the Roll.”)
marker in a neutral spot. On the first game, start
with a random player. In subsequent games, start Your roll gives you permission to place a stone in
with the loser of the previous game. an empty space in the indicated row. One player’s
rows are the other player’s columns. (See the board
Each player makes the same starting bet, for diagrams on the following page.) For example,
example 2 chips. This bet should be a multiple of if you roll a 2, you can play a stone in any empty
2, because sometimes players can retrieve half of space in your “2” row.
their bet.
Full Row: If you can’t place a piece, because the
Keep the two players’ bets in separate stacks, as designated row is full, you must choose one of
each bet may change independently during the these two options: you may forfeit the game, or
play of the game. you may match your bet and continue.
The total chips in play including both players’ bets “Matching” your bet means adding more money
are collectively called the “pot.” equal to the current size of your bet. For example,
if your bet stands at 4, you must add another 4 to
make it 8. You will place no stone on this turn, and
the turn passes to your opponent.
Bridge Win: If you complete a bridge, you win the

game and collect the pot. (A bridge is a string of
pieces connecting two opposite sides of the board,
exactly like a road in Tak.)
Full Board: If the board is filled, the game is over.

If no one has made a bridge, then the player with
more pieces in play is the winner.
If the number of pieces in play is tied, then the

players divide the money in the pot. (This is not
the same as each player retrieving his bet, because
Symbol sets from ancient and modern Kaen the bets can change size independently.)
Before the Roll Example Game
You have two options before you roll the die. You On the first turn, both play-
can double or surrender. ers make an initial bet of $2.
Player 1’s first roll is a 2, so he
Double: If you have the doubling marker, or if it is can place a stone in any spot
neutral, you may offer it to your opponent. They along his row 2. He places at
may either accept the offer, or forfeit the game. (2,3), as shown here.
If they accept, both players double their current bet, In Kaen you are often making strategic decisions
and the game continues. You then proceed to roll between completing your own bridge and blocking
the die as usual. your opponent’s bridges and rows.
Obviously you will double when you think you are For the first few rounds,
in a strong position to win. placement is normal. Then
Player 2 rolls a 3, selecting a
Surrender: If you don’t like your odds of winning, row that is already full. She
you can surrender before you roll. In this case, take could forfeit now, but she
back half your total bet, and forfeit the game. chooses to match her bet.
Keeping Score The strategy behind this decision is that for P2,
three rows are still open. For P1, three rows are
This is a gambling game, so the long-term goal is blocked. This means P1 is far more likely to get
to finish with more money than you started with. stuck with a bad roll. And at this point in the
If you wish to play a series of fixed length, choose game, neither player can complete a bridge.
a number of games and then compare your hold-
ings at the end. You will have to decide whether a On the next turn, P1 rolls a 1, and is indeed
player is eliminated when she runs out of money, blocked. He could have surrendered before the roll,
or if she can reload. taking back $1 and losing only $1. Now he has to
decide whether to forfeit (losing $2) or put out
One option when a player is out of chips is to another $2.
reload both players and double the stakes! This
is more practical when you are playing only for Since on the next turn P2 will probably double, P1
points; when playing for money, each game should decides that his best odds are to forfeit rather than
be considered independent, and the stakes should paying the extra $2 on this turn. This ends the
be chosen at the start of each game. game, and P2 collects the pot of $6.
Starting Player: On the first game, play begins with
a random player. On subsequent games, the loser
How to Play Locke of the previous game goes first.
Locke, also called “Centerline,” is a quick-playing Object: The object of the game is to occupy any
strategy game, played on a 5x5 board with ten pieces three spaces along the middle row.
per player. Locke has its roots in Ademre, and is still
played there, though not widely. Stacking: Pieces of the same color can stack up,
creating larger and more powerful stacks. The
Equipment: A 5x5 board and ten pieces per player. maximum size of a stack is 3 pieces.
Your pieces can be anything: Tak pieces, pebbles, Each Turn: On your turn, you will usually move
buttons, or coins. It’s not necessary that the pieces one of your stacks (a “stack” can be size 1, 2, or 3).
be able to stack, but it’s nice if they can. Instead of moving, you may play one piece from
your reserve into an empty space in your first row.
When the pieces don’t stack, the Locke board can
be made with shallow wells rather than flat spaces, Movement: Different-sized stacks can move and
to keep multiple pieces grouped in the same spot. capture in different ways. In general, pieces can
This can be accomplished by carving wells in wood move into an empty space, or they may combine
or stone, or just by making divots in the ground. with allied pieces, up to a maximum stack size of 3.
Setup: Each player Stacks can move a distance up to their size (1 space
starts with eight for a stack of 1, etc.), along a straight, open path.
pieces on the board, There are no jumps and no diagonal moves.
arranged as shown
in the diagram at A stack can capture a stack that is exactly 1 piece
right. Your other smaller than it (for example, a 3 can capture a 2).
two pieces start in
reserve. Capturing: Captured stacks are knocked out of play.
When a stack is captured, its component pieces
return to their owner’s reserve, from which they
can be put back into play one at a time.
Playing a New Piece: On your turn, rather than

making a move, you may play a piece from your
The starting setup for Locke reserve into an empty space on your first row.
Rules for Move and Capture Starvation Rule: You lose the game if, at the end of
a turn, you have fewer than three stacks in play.
One Piece: A stack of
one piece can move one No Reverse Moves: It is not legal to make a move
space, either into empty that is the exact reverse of your previous move.
space, or to combine
with an allied stack of Stalemate: If both players repeatedly choose to
height 1 or 2. Stacks of loop the game back to a prior game state, this is a
height 1 can’t capture. stalemate. In this case, the game is a draw.
Modern Variations of Locke

Two Pieces: A stack of
two can move one or two Locke is still played today, primarily in Ademre,
spaces, either into empty where it is occasionally referred to as Llean. Else-
space, or to combine with where in the world, it is also called Centerline.
an allied stack of height
1. Stacks of height 2 can Players commonly use Tak pieces and Tak boards,
capture enemy stacks of so pieces can be stacked rather than grouped. This
height 1. is why we describe the groups of pieces as “stacks,”
and not “groups.”
Three Pieces: A stack of
three pieces moves up In the modern game, there is no limit to the height
to three spaces. It can’t of a stack, and every stack can still capture only a
combine with more stack that is one piece smaller.
pieces, because the
maximum size is 3. Modern players sometimes play with 12 or 14
Stacks of height 3 can pieces, with the extras starting in reserve. These
only capture enemy pieces aid in the creation of taller stacks, so this
stacks of height 2. feeds nicely into a game with no stack limit.

Depending on the variant, that influence was
Bonus: Patrick’s Tak Rules stacked up in a single spot (fig. 2) or drawn out
farther along the line (fig. 3).
Before I ever got involved, Patrick Rothfuss took

a crack at designing Tak. This was back in 2007,
while he was still working on The Wise Man’s Fear.
Pat wanted to write intelligently about the game, Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3
even if he didn’t explain the rules, and he knew
this would be easier if he had a real game. Influence dictates where you can place stones. You
can’t build where your opponent has more influ-
Through this process, Pat discovered that game ence than you. (If it’s tied, as with an empty space,
design was trickier than he thought. His first three either player can build there.)
games ended in a perfect tie, including the game
where he was actively trying to lose. By stacking pieces, you create
stronger influence in a closer
Pat sat down recently and showed me some of the space. For example, a stack of
concepts that he incorporated into his original Tak 3 pieces exerts three points of
concept. Like the final game, the original Tak con- control in the four neighboring
cepts were played with colored stones on a square spaces (fig. 4). Fig. 4
gridded board.
The crucial aspect of influence is that, if strong
Influence enough, it can actually remove opposing pieces
from the board.
The core concept of “Pat Tak” revolves around
influence. You want to build networks of pieces that These pieces are probably captured, as in chess,
exert influence over spaces on the board. Influence rather than returned to the infinite supply, as in
dictates the areas where you and your opponent go. But again, this game was in a formative state
are allowed to play. The goal is area control: in when it was abandoned, so many variations are
short, you want to play more pieces onto the board possible.
than your opponent.
Pat played very little with this game concept, and
A single pieces exerts one point of influence into no written rules survive. One might consider it a
the four adjacent spaces (fig. 1). A line of pieces design project waiting for a designer, or just one of
has more power in the direction of the line. the steps on the road to Tak.
About the Creators:
Who is Responsible for This?
T
his book was created by Patrick Rothfuss In 1996, James Ernest founded Cheapass Games,
and James Ernest, and illustrated by Nate a low-budget game company famous for requiring
Taylor. Here is a bit more about them. their players to provide generic spare parts like
dice, pawns, and play money. Cheapass released
a variety of original games at rock-bottom prices,
including Kill Doctor Lucky, Button Men, BRAWL,
Unexploded Cow, and Lord of the Fries.
In 2007, James took a job at Microsoft, as game

design manager for Carbonated Games, overseeing
many digital projects including Hexic 2, UNO Rush,
and the Fable II Pub Games.
After several years in the digital world, James

returned to tabletop games, rebooting Cheapass
Games through Kickstarter with a deluxe reprint
of Unexploded Cow. Ironically, the new Cheapass
Games makes mostly deluxe games (some original,
like Tak, and some reprints, like Kill Doctor Lucky).
James Ernest But they also offer many of their older titles in free
print-and-play versions.
James Ernest is a game inventor and graphic
designer best known as the president of Cheapass James gives frequent design lectures at colleges
Games. He has invented more than 150 original and conventions, and he helped design the current
tabletop and digital games, ranging across many curriculum for DigiPen’s introduction to tabletop
genres and formats. game design. After Tak, his next project will be a
textbook on tabletop game design.
He started his career in the game industry in 1993
as a technical writer for Wizards of the Coast. His James lives in Seattle with his wife Carol and their
jobs at Wizards included re-writing the rules for daughter Nora, and in his spare time he builds
Magic: the Gathering four times. LEGO models and tries to win money at poker.
About the Creators: Who is Responsible for This? 55
Then he went to grad school and evolved even
further into a being composed entirely of bile,
rage, binder twine, and sweet, sweet, methadone.
After grad school, Pat joined forces with five
plucky Japanese schoolgirls to form a giant robot
that fights crime.
As you probably know if you’re reading this,

he’s published some books, too. Most notably:
The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man’s Fear, and
The Slow Regard of Silent Things. His Kingkiller
Chronicle series has been translated into over 35
languages, won many awards, hit many bestseller
lists, and sold many millions of copies.
As you may not know, he’s also written two not-

for-children picture books called The Adventures
of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle, illustrated by the
illustrious Nate Taylor.
They’re fun, but hard to find. You can get them

signed over at TheTinkersPacks.com.
Patrick Rothfuss In 2008, Pat accidentally founded a charity called
Worldbuilders, which rallies the geek community
Patrick Rothfuss was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in an attempt to make the world a better place.
to awesome parents. After nine years at the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he accidentally Over the years, Worldbuilders has raised over
gained enough credits to graduate with an English $5,000,000, vastly improving the lives of thou-
degree. Pat then went to grad school. sands of families around the world. If you’re curi-
ous, you can find more info at worldbuilders.org.
When the voices told him to, Pat left home to
attend college at University Wisconsin-Stevens Though he no longer teaches at the university, Pat
Point, where he joined Slytherin house and had continues to live in Stevens Point, where he cud-
many wonderful adventures. After graduating, Pat dles his children, tells stories about life on his blog,
evolved into a being of pure light and energy. and just generally dicks around on the internet.
In 2006, Nate got published for the first time,
and produced the map of the Four Corners for the
Kingkiller Chronicle.
In 2007, Nate co-created the webcomic Coming

Distractions with Patrick Johnson, and the two of
them kept it going for four years. During the same
time, Patrick Rothfuss approached Nate to illus-
trate The Adventures of the Princess And Mr. Whiffle.
The book was released in 2010, and Nate began
working as an artist in mobile games in 2011.
Nate left the game industry just in time to start

working on the second Princess And Mr. Whiffle
book, and his career was starting to gain traction.
After completing The Dark of Deep Below in 2012,
Nate met James Ernest, and he began contributing
to the Pairs game that James was producing with
Nate Taylor Patrick. At the same time, he created the cover for
John Scalzi’s compilation The Mallet of Loving Cor-
rection for Subterranean Press.
Nate Taylor has been an artist his entire life, but
only recently started doing it professionally. Since then, Nate has worked with Patrick Roth-
fuss on the comic book So Long As You Can See the
He originally wanted to be an animator, which Moon, for the game Torment: Tides of Numenera,
compelled him to study motion and cartooning. and he illustrated The Slow Regard of Silent Things.
But Nate lacked the patience for actual animation, He and Pat Johnson also Kickstarted a book com-
so he shifted his focus to illustration, to create art pilation of their Coming Distractions comic series.
for movie posters.
Nate has worked with Shawn Speakman, contrib-
He got his first art degree at Washington State uting art for Unfettered II and the Broken Empire
University, where he met another artist and writer, omnibus, and he’s illustrating the new edition of
Patrick Johnson. The two of them collaborated on Terry Brooks’ Sometimes the Magic Works.
many unpublished projects and became friends
with Patrick Rothfuss, who was doing his graduate When not drawing, Nate enjoys movies, quantum
studies at WSU. theory, and games.
About the Creators: Who is Responsible for This? 57
Tak: A Beautiful Game
Credits
T
ak is not actually a thousand years old, Special Thanks:
and Daramin Centes is not a real person.
Instead, we are grateful to many real live The first edition of Tak was made possible by a
contributors to this book, including: Kickstarter campaign, run by Cheapass Games in
the spring of 2016. The campaign raised $1.35M
Book Text: from 12,000 backers, and this book was part of the
Patrick Rothfuss and James Ernest reward structure.
Game Design:
James Ernest and Patrick Rothfuss Our deepest thanks to the enthusiastic and patient
Playtesters: backers who made this possible, and to the staff at
Boyan Radakovich, Paul Peterson, Rick Fish, Cheapass Games and Elodin Enterprises:
Jeff Morrow, Jeff Wilcox, Joseph Kisenwether,
Craig Stockwell, and many many others! Cheapass Games:
Edited by: James Ernest
Carol Monahan and Cathy Saxton Carol Monahan
Front Cover and Interior Art: Cassidy Werner
Nate Taylor
Back Cover: Elodin Enterprises:
Pete Venters Patrick Rothfuss
Tak Pieces and Photos: Amanda Hoerter
James Ernest Mindy McCord
Puzzle Design:
Ira Fay; testing by Josh Brannon, Gabe Cohn, Other Resources:
David Cornwell, Alex Fay, Marshall Fay, Tom
Gale, Hawkbat, Patricia Komoda, Maron, Patrick Rothfuss and James Ernest are both clever
Brandon Patton, Shawn Patton, Nick Peeples, enough to have their own URLs:
Sam Thibault, Ben Wochinski, Eric Zeller patrickrothfuss.com
Tak Notation: jamesernest.com
Ben Wochinski
The Ballad of Tak: The newest information about Tak can be found at:
Molly Lewis and James Ernest jamesernest.com/games/tak
Credits 59

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Tak

© 2016 Cheapass Games, LLC

Tak Companion Book

Customs and Variations: Tak Around

I met James Ernest in 2007 at VCON, a fantasy

But I knew him. I’d been playing James’ games for

I feel like I should make it clear that it wasn’t that I

The challenge was that up to this point, Tak was a

My plan was to look politely at whatever game

“Just let me try,” James said. “Let me take a run

2 Tak Companion Book

Connections: Spaces on the board are connected

Some examples of winning roads Cardinal Directions: In examples, it is sometimes

Flat Stones: Most stones will be

Standing Stones: If a stone is played

The board starts empty. All pieces begin in the

The number of pieces each player uses is based on

Board Size: 3x3 4x4 5x5 6x6 8x8

Starting Player: In your first game, determine Other Victory Conditions

If you place your last piece, or if you fill the last

Place: You can place a flat stone, a standing stone,

Move: You can move one or more pieces in a stack

3: On the second space, White decides to drop two pieces again.

6 Tak Companion Book

1: Black could move up to five of the pieces in this stack, but he

2: To flatten the standing stone, the capstone will have to act

Game Rules I: How to Play Tak 7

Strength builds in stacks. You must play new

When you advance to the 5x5 or 6x6 game, you’ll

Tak is a super-portable game, especially if you

Fancy Tak sets include boards of one kind or

Any decent tavern should have a 5x5 Tak board,

But it’s even more common for people who find

For a 4x4 or 5x5 game, this is pretty easy. Choose a

If you’re lucky enough to own a Tak coin, like the

Quiant Eteariam Ve!

Re’lar Daramin Centes Esq.

It has always struck me as unfortunate that so

The Road to Tinuë: A History of Tak 11

Note: The full rules for Kaen, describing the most

Wresting my eyes from her, I considered the

“You’re beginning to see,” Avara said, nodding

With these clues, we see a game in which the

Some modern scholars theorize that the location

Partial Taket sets survive in various materials and

It is well documented that players carried their

Traditionally, each player brought only his own

There is some mention of “taking the blind,” or

Terms and Phrases: The Language of Tak 19

Hunter: A stack of two same-color stones. Also

Fall: Another word for moving a tall stack (see

Some recent works on the subject (most notably in

But Danne shall have my prize bullock, or the sale

Sometimes, full Tak sets are composed of half cane

All-trapezoid sets are also common, sometimes

The familiar Cealdish trapezoid has recently be-

It is more likely that trapezoids are preferred be-

Their simplicity also makes them easier to produce

One particularly fine scrimshaw set was similar to