Cannon - (The Emperors Game )
Copyright© January 2003 PyroMyth Games.

  The rules for Cannon may be learned quickly yet it is a game that takes time to explore fully.

Cannon is played on a 10x10 board with the following set up, using the cross points instead of the cells in the oriental tradition.



The setup is finished by first the black then the red players placing their town on the first row excluding the corners.  So black would place it town in row 1 and red in row 10. Once placed a town stays in it's location for the entire game.


A soldier may move to an adjacent (orthogonal or diagonal) forward empty point.




Capture an adjacent (orthogonal or diagonal) forward or sideways piece.




Retreat backwards (orthogonal or diagonal) two points if it is adjacent to an enemy piece. Both points must be empty.  






A cannon is a (orthogonal or diagonal) line of 3 adjacent friendly soldiers. A cannon may make a non-move capture (i.e., a cannon shot ) two or three positions in line with the group as long as the position immediately in front of the cannon is not occupied.




 it may also shift along it's length in either direction without capturing.




Every turn each player must move a soldier or use cannon. Passing is not allowed.

The player that captures the opposite Town with soldier or by cannon shot (as a checkmate in chess) or stalemates the opponent wins.

Officially there is no repetition rule in Cannon as the repeating of positions over and over is rarely an issue. Unofficially or for tournament play it is suggested that no cannon may shift more than three times in a row regardless of the direction without an intervening move from another cannon or single soldier.