Rules for Ur

No rules have survived from the City of Ur. However, after careful research, these rules
have been developed to provide the modern day player with a fast moving game of skill
and excitement.

Ur Royal Game of Sumer is played by two persons on a board with 20 squares of

symbols. Each symbol represents either a bonus, a penalty, or a neutral square and some
trigger incredible chain reactions of
further moves, bonuses or penalties.

Diagram 1:

Each player is provided with seven

playing pieces of matching colors.
Both players use the specially coded
dice to determine moves into the
STARTING SPACE(S), down the
ENTERING TRACK, up the CENTER
TRACK, and finally around the corner
into the HOME TRACK and off the
board to HOME. The first player to reach HOME with all seven pieces is declared the
winner.

Diagram 2:

The SET-UP:
1. Players set up their pieces
according to Diagram 2. Each player
places one piece on the third square
(Eyes) from the STARTING SPACE
and three pieces remain in the TOMB.
2. Each player takes a turn at the three
dice. The player throwing the highest
number of dots goes first.

THE PLAY:
3. DICE MOVES - Each player moves according to the three dice as follows:
a) 3 DOTS: Move five squares OR enter one playing piece AND take another
throw.
b) 3 BLANK: Move four squares AND take another throw
c) 2 DOTS: Move one Square AND take another throw
d) 1 DOT: Turn Ends

4. SYMBOL SQUARES - There are three symbol squares which affect the move of the
player or the opponent: Doubles, Rosette and Eyes. Players move according to the
following:
a) Bonus Doubles: The player moves the same playing piece forward by the same
 count which allowed the piece to land on the Bonus Doubles square.
b) Bonus Rosette: The player enters one playing piece. IF the player does not
have a piece to enter, he or she forfeits the bonus.
c) Penalty Eyes: The opponent moves any one playing piece forward 4 squares. The
opponent wins any resulting bonus but ignores any penalties. If the opponent
cannon t move 4 squares, he or she forfeits this bonus. The player continues his
or her turn.

ENTERING:
5. A player must throw 3 dots, or one of this or her pieces must land on a Rosette,
before he or she may enter an additional playing piece from the TOMB onto the
STARTING SPACE.
6. If a player throws 3 dots, he or she may choose to move 5 squares instead of entering a
playing piece.
7. Even if a player cannot enter or move a playing piece on a given throw, he or she
continues the turn until he or she throws one dot, and ends the turn.

MOVING
8. Moves may not be split between playing pieces (i.e. Moving one pieces 3 squares
and another 2 squares on a role of 5).
9. Two or more playing pieces of the SAME color may rest on the same square.
10. A player MUST move if a move is available, even if the move will result in a penalty
or being sent to the TOMB.
11. A playing piece in the TOMB may not move until it is entered on the STARTING
SPACE.
12. A playing piece must reach HOME by exact count.

CAPTURING:
13. When a player moves a piece to a square occupied by an opponent’s single piece,
the opponent is captured and the piece is sent back to the opponent’s TOMB.
14. If a player’s piece land by exact count on a square occupied by two or more of the
opponents pieces, the players piece is sent back to the TOMB.

WINNING
15. The first player to reach HOME with all seven pieces is declared the winner.

SCORING:
16. If the players decide to play for a point total (100 points is suggested), the scoring
depends upon the position of the losing player’s pieces at the end of the game as follows:
a) 25 Points: For winning the game
b) 15 Points: for each opponent’s pieces in the TOMB
c) 10 points: for each opponent pieces on the STARTING SPACE
d) 5 Points: For each opponent’s piece on the ENTERING Track
e) 1 Point: For each opponent’s pieces on the CENTER TRACK.