Kabetopo Teaching Guide

Kabetopo
Teaching Guide

Overview

New players may find that learning the Kabetopo ruleset can be overwhelming. It’s equally challenging for experienced players to teach the game to newbies. Outlined below is a step-by-step process that, if followed, will help experienced Kabetopo players teach the 1 vs. 1 game to newbies, making their learning curve as short as possible. There’s a lot of shorthand in this outline as it assumes that you’re already familiar with the regular 1 vs. 1 ruleset. Gradually introduce game concepts, and explain edge cases only if necessary.

STEP 1 – Start with a game of monoliths ONLY.

For now, no portals and locks. Also, no scoring. Resource pool = 4 walls, 2 monoliths.

Before the game:

Introduce the basic objective, i.e. get stone from mountain, run to a home square other than your staring square (Tadaima)
Explain orthogonal movement, including leapfrogging.
Explain dropping walls and monoliths to block opponent’s progress. Also, explain bonus move with dropping monoliths.

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During the game:

As spies reach The Mountain:
- If someone drops a wall which blocks all four mountain entrances, explain that there must be at least one path open.
- Explain that you can go up The Mountain through an open path only, and can go down The Mountain to any orthogonal square even if there’s an obstacle.
- When the situation occurs, explain bumping, including the King Of The Mountain rule, i.e. no consecutive bumping.

STEP 2 – Play a few games (1 or 2 more) of monoliths only.

STEP 3 – Play a first game with both monoliths AND portals.

No locks. No scoring. Resource pool = 4 walls, 2 monoliths, 2 portals.

Before the game:

Introduce portal basics:
- You can exit any portal from any side.
- Must already be at the portal entrance to teleport.
- Can drop portal anywhere except home square edges. If dropping portal on an immediate edge, can teleport on same turn.

STEP 4 – Play another game of monoliths and portals.

STEP 5 – Play a 3rd game of monoliths and portals WITH advanced mechanics.

Resource pool = 4 walls, 2 monoliths, 2 portals, 2 locks.

Before the game:

Introduce more advanced mechanics:
- Explain locks, i.e. drop to lock one side of a portal.
- Explain doors, i.e. if three walls in a row, middle wall can be swung open. Monoliths cannot be doors.
- Explain breakthrough, i.e. if no walls or monoliths left in resource pool, you gain ability to breakthrough.
- Explain speed tokens, i.e. gives bonus move, how they’re cashed in.

STEP 6 – Play a 4th game of monoliths and portals WITH scoring.

Resource pool = 4 walls, 2 monoliths, 2 portals, 2 locks.

Before the game:

Introduce scoring:
- Explain scoring system: Tadaima = 3 pts., 1st Stone = 2, Unseen Path, Natural Tadaima = 1, and Preservation = 1.

STEP 7 – Play full match.

Setup for Round of Monoliths.

Before the game:

Introduce match format, i.e. Round of Monoliths (2 games); Portals (2 games); Monoliths & Portals (2 games).
Explain reason for rotating, i.e. everyone experiences the same advantages and disadvantages with each spy.

KabetopoTeaching Guide

Overview

Kabetopo
Teaching Guide