Which side has the edge?

Careful geese have the edge. The fox wins by finding the gaps in their line.

Yes, against the CPU, without signing in, as either the fox or the geese.

What happens if a player leaves during a game?

The CPU takes over for them, so the game does not stop. Online, you have 30 seconds per move; if time runs out, a move is made for you.

Asobi Lounge / Games / Fox and Geese

Fox and Geese rules and how to play: jump and take, or close in and trap

A two-player board game played in Europe for centuries: one fox against thirteen geese on a cross-shaped board. The fox jumps over geese to take them; the geese advance shoulder to shoulder to trap the fox. Playing the fox or the geese feels like two different games.

Also known as: Fox & Geese
Players: 2 players (1 against the CPU)
Price: free
Runs in the browser (no install)

Play now

The game screen is in Japanese.

Games against the CPU and solo modes work right away without signing in. Online play (random matches and private rooms) and saving stats or leaderboard scores require signing in with a Google account. To play with a friend, your friend also needs to create an account and register as your friend.

Fox and Geese modes

CPU match (CPU対戦): play the CPU at three strength levels, as the fox or the geese. No sign-in needed
Random Match (ランダムマッチ): play someone online
Room Match (ルーム対戦): play a friend using a room ID or a friend invite (to invite a friend, they also need to create an account and register as your friend). The host chooses who plays the fox

Basic rules of Fox and Geese

The board has 33 points in the shape of a cross. One player has the fox, the other thirteen geese. The fox moves first.
The fox steps to the next point up, down or sideways, or jumps over a goose next to it onto the empty point beyond, taking the goose. It may keep jumping as long as it can, and may stop partway.
A goose steps forward (up) or sideways, never back.
The geese win when the fox cannot move.
The fox wins when fewer than four geese are left, or when the geese cannot move. Three hundred moves without a result is a draw.

How to play on Asobi Lounge

On the fox's turn, the points it can reach are marked; press one. When it can jump again, press the next point or Stop here (ここで止める).
On the geese's turn, press a goose, then where it goes.
Where a goose was taken, a dotted red ring appears.

Tips

Geese that move up in two tidy rows without gaps are hard to jump.
As the fox, look for a weak spot: a goose with an empty point behind it.
The fox has the most room in the middle of the board and is harder to trap there.

Frequently asked questions

Which side has the edge?: Careful geese have the edge. The fox wins by finding the gaps in their line.
Can I play alone?: Yes, against the CPU, without signing in, as either the fox or the geese.
What happens if a player leaves during a game?: The CPU takes over for them, so the game does not stop. Online, you have 30 seconds per move; if time runs out, a move is made for you.
Is Fox and Geese free to play?: Yes, it costs nothing. Games against the CPU and solo modes work right away without signing in. Online play (random matches and private rooms) and saving stats or leaderboard scores require signing in with a Google account. To play with a friend, your friend also needs to create an account and register as your friend.