How to Play Arimaa

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Learn the rules.

   You can either watch the animated tutorial, read the official rules, or read the explanation at Wikibooks.
2. 2

   Step 2: Sign up at Arimaa.com.

   , Choose to play the bot at the bottom. ,, The weakest bots will make it easy for you to capture pieces.
   
   Often, you can flip a piece into a trap by pulling and then pushing it. , If it doesn't retreat, threaten it with capture.
   
   If the enemy elephant comes to its defense, try to take the camel hostage.
   
   This will make your own camel the strongest free piece on the board.
   
   While you're holding a camel hostage, make sure that the enemy elephant does not get a chance to push any of your pieces toward an unprotected trap.
   
   Keep your own camel on your own home side of the board, to prevent the enemy from replacing his elephant with two weaker pieces.
   
   If the enemy can manage to protect a camel hostage without his elephant, you will be in a very tough spot. , The enemy elephant can only protect one trap at a time, and any other defender can potentially be captured itself.
   
   A single piece can be threatened with capture in two traps, via a fork. , Just because someone has two pieces next to a trap does not mean that the trap is safe.
   
   The real key is who has stronger forces around the trap. , As the board clears, there will be openings for a rabbit to reach the enemy rank.
   
   If you have a one-turn goal threat, execute it, and you will have won.
   
   If you don't have such a goal threat, check whether your opponent would, and if so, block it.
   
   Beyond that, try to create goal threats which will put the enemy on the defensive.
   
   One-turn goal threats, especially those which would use all four steps of a turn, are not always obvious.
   
   A rabbit may need to be unfrozen, or another piece might have to be moved out of the way.
   
   Even if there is no immediate goal threat, keep an eye on any open spaces which a rabbit might pass through. , If you lose all eight rabbits, you lose the game. , Bots get harder as you go, and long-term strategy becomes increasingly important. , Consider the safety of your own pieces when forming attack plans.
   
   If you put a friendly piece at risk of capture, consider how you would be compensated for the loss of that piece. , If the enemy piece pinned to the frame is not the elephant, dislodging it will capture the framed piece.
   
   If the pinned piece is the elephant (or is otherwise untouchable), rotate out any strong pieces which aren't needed to hold the frame.
   
   Take care that the framed piece does not get a chance to escape, and that the enemy does not get a chance for an even trade or better. , This is a good way to tie up the enemy elephant and allow your camel to get into the action.
3. 3

   Step 3: Enter the gameroom

4. 4

   Step 4: and go to the bot ladder.

5. 5

   Step 5: Set up with your elephant front and center

6. 6

   Step 6: and most or all rabbits in the back row.

7. 7

   Step 7: Learn to recognize capture opportunities.

8. 8

   Step 8: If the enemy camel advances

9. 9

   Step 9: attack it with your elephant.

10. 10

    Step 10: Try to make capture threats around multiple traps.

11. 11

    Step 11: Recognize false protection.

12. 12

    Step 12: Recognize goal opportunities

13. 13

    Step 13: yours and the opponent's.

14. 14

    Step 14: Pay attention to how many rabbits you and your opponent retain.

15. 15

    Step 15: Move up the bot ladder.

16. 16

    Step 16: Do your best to attain and hold a material advantage.

17. 17

    Step 17: Practice framing pieces

18. 18

    Step 18: especially horses.

19. 19

    Step 19: Practice elephant-horse attacks.

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