In most capture games, danger comes from the piece next to you. Here it comes from around the corner, often from the far side of the board. Surakarta unblocked is a two-player strategy game named after a city on Java, Indonesia, played on a small 6x6 grid with curved tracks looping out from each corner.
This version from Christopher Müller's PaperGames set uses simplified rules, so attacks open up fast and every game has plenty of action.
How to play Surakarta
Each side gets 12 stones, lined up on the two rows closest to that player. Black goes first. A turn is either a quiet step or an attack.
A quiet step moves one stone to any empty point beside it, diagonals included. Steps never take an enemy stone, even if you land right next to one.
An attack is a slide along one of the looped lines: the second or fifth row, or the second or fifth column. When the slide hits the edge, the corner arc swings it onto the connecting line and it keeps going. After passing through at least one loop, it takes the first enemy stone it meets and stops there. In this version, other stones along the way do not block it. When you pick a stone, its possible captures light up.
Taking is never forced. Win by removing every enemy stone or by leaving your opponent with no legal move.
Controls
| To… | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step a stone | Arrow keys and Enter to pick the stone, then the empty point | Click your stone, then an empty neighboring point | Tap your stone, then an empty neighboring point |
| Capture along a loop | — | Click your stone, then the highlighted enemy stone it can reach | Tap your stone, then the highlighted enemy stone it can reach |
| Start a game against the computer | — | Click "vs Computer", pick black or white and a level, then click "New game" | Tap "vs Computer", pick black or white and a level, then tap "New game" |
| Take back a move | — | Click "Undo" | Tap "Undo" |
Tips
- Treat the looped lines as danger zones. A stone sitting on the second or fifth row or column can be hit from around a corner.
- Hide on the outer and middle lines. Rows and columns without loops are out of reach of any capture slide.
- Check before a quiet step. Moving onto a looped line can hand your rival a free capture next turn.
- Strike first in a standoff. When both sides have a capture lined up, the player who moves first usually comes out ahead.
- Replay positions with Undo. Stepping back and trying a slide again is the fastest way to see where each loop leads.
Surakarta questions
Can I play Surakarta against the computer?
Yes. Choose the computer as your opponent and set it to Easy, Medium or Hard. You can also play a friend on the same device.
Why can't my stone capture the piece next to it?
Plain steps never capture. A stone has to travel around at least one corner loop before it can take anything.
Do I have to capture when I can?
No. Captures are optional, so you can always make a quiet step instead and set up a better attack.
Is my game saved?
Yes. A game in progress is stored in your browser and returns when you open the page again on the same device.
