If you're interested in this game you should look up Dr Irving Finkel on British Museum UA-cam, I believe he's the guy who translated the cruciform tablet and re-discovered the rules of the game. He has a number of videos on the topic and is generally fascinating and quite the character to boot.
I'm coding a version of this game in Python as a learning project. Nearly all numbers involved in this game fit absurdly well into binary: * The number of pieces each player has is 7, which is the maximum value for a 3-bit integer. So we can store the number of pieces waiting to come onto the board and the number of pieces home in 12-bits (6-bits per player). * There are 14 squares on the board either player can occupy, and since only one piece can occupy each square we can store the position of the entire board in two 16 bit integers. I added two bits to include an 'entrance square' that shows at least one piece is waiting to enter the board, and an 'exit square' that shows a piece has successfully left the board and is waiting to be counted. (These two extra bits make the logic of moving pieces much easier.) Overall, the total amount of memory required for a game of GoU (including things like dice rolls and count variables used to draw the board and pieces) is 56 bits.
I do have to point out that what made racing games (i.e The Game of Ur, Set, or Backgammon) such a staple in ancient times was that viewers watching games played out would gamble by biding during a match on which player would win, just like how today viewers of horseraces would gamble on which horse would win during a race. Roll and move games would then become a dramatic spectacle with money changing hands as fast as when a match ends. Also being that the rules were so simple to remember, that helped players to have lightning fast matches with others. Players would have to think on their feet, giving new light to what we think about with luck-based roll and move games. So these were in other words their version of the gambling games that we play today in Las Vegas; which are also completely luck-based with a hidden amount of strategy due to the probability of the game. Now granted as time moved on with games like these, the gambling aspect was removed so to suit them more for younger children which caused many people later on as they got older to not take these games as seriously as they use to in ancient times. I'm just going to end with that if my theory is correct, maybe this gambling aspect is the main reason that archeologists today have found early racing boardgames that we know of in ancient royal tombs and that maybe we should bring back this gambling aspect with new fresh modern eyes on games that we deem as boring and meh-ness due to its "luck-based" gaming mechanisms.
The thing that makes Backgammon an interesting game played by high-rolling (!) celebrities (complete with backgammon clubs in Beverly Hills, at least in the 1970s) is the doubling cube, which supposes that the game is being played for stakes. So, in a way, Ur's descendent (it is sort of an ur-Backgammon, for a geeky pun) is still around, precisely due to the gambling element, just as you propose. I suspect a doubling cube would make a fine accessory to the game of Ur.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I've only played it a few times against a computer, but I suspect this is more of a luck game with some strategy than a strategy game with luck. During the endgame, it seems that anything can happen no matter what happened previously, making it basically a luck-based (as long as both players have the basic strategies down) dispute settler or gambling game that is more interesting than just throwing dice or drawing lots or a press your luck mechanic. When you get down to your last piece the advantage seems to shift heavily to the player that has more pieces. Maybe I just haven't played it enough yet. My family loves Parcheesi but to avoid games in which someone outplays everyone but then loses because they can't roll the correct # to enter their last pawn, we created a rule: You can enter any pawn into HOME with the exact # needed to enter it (for which you get a bonus of +10) OR with a value higher than that (for which you get NO bonus). That solves the problem and introduces a strategic factor of deciding how to enter your pawns, since sometimes it is advantageous to dump a pawn without the bonus even if it's not your last pawn.
This is the best explanation of the game that I have found online so far, thank you! By the way I found a really nice replica set on the British museum site. A bit expensive but I might just go for it, the game looks rather fun
[reaches for the nerd doubling cube…] Actually, the presenter is using the term “pyrimidal” correctly, especially when you see he’s struggling a bit to see if there’s a more specific term. Unless otherwise specified, the term “pyramid” suggests what is known in geometry as a square pyramid; a type of pyramid formed when triangular sides are joined to a square base and meeting up at a common vertex (the “apex“). But a tetrahedron is also a type of pyramid, specifically a triangular pyramid formed from a triangular base.[1,2] Generally speaking, the base can be any type of polygon, and since there can be any number of sides to a polygon (at least three, that is), there are an infinite number of types of pyramids. From pentagonal bases you would construct pentagonal pyramids; hexagonal bases would lead to hexagonal pyramids, and so on indefinitely. The definition of a pyramid encompasses all of these subtypes.[3,4] Interestingly, most folks visualize •regular• tetrahedrons when the term “tetrahedron” is used, but that too is an imprecise usage. The polygon at the base doesn’t need to be a regular polygon with congruent side lengths and angles, nor do the triangular faces of the pyramid need to be congruent nor equilateral. Generally speaking, a pyramid can be a sloppy thing horribly leaning over; you can put the apex wherever you want. But in the context of fair d4 dice, you’d want to add the word “regular”, as in regular tetrahedron or regular triangular pyramid, to specify that the four faces should be congruent equilateral triangles (among other things). Thus you’re referring to the type of tetrahedron which is a regular polyhedron, or Platonic solid to use the more common term. This confusion about pyramids is quite common. Folks seem to be far more aware of precise definitions for 2D polygons but quite lax when it comes to 3D polyhedra, I’ve found. For example, you wouldn’t use the word “rectangle” or “rhombus” to refer to a square, though a square qualifies as both. You’d use the term “square” to be most precise. The same should be the case for a tetrahedron; ideally you’d refer to it as a triangular pyramid or simply a tetrahedron, and not the more general term “pyramid”. In an ideal world, of course. _____________________________________________ SOURCES: [1] mathworld.wolfram.com/Tetrahedron.html [2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahedron [3] mathworld.wolfram.com/Pyramid.html [4] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_(geometry)
@@BlindManBert, you are the man. I actually just released a video explaining this because of how often people comment that tetrahedrons are not pyramids. ua-cam.com/video/Zrt1qOVlwVg/v-deo.html
Hello Kaptain. The game of UR was found drawn, or sometimes scratched, into the floors of temples. Given where it was found, it is obvious that the ceremonies were long, and probably boring to most worshipers. Or, at least, to some of those attending such ceremonies. The 'dice' could easily fit into someone's money pouch, or tucked into a fold of their clothing. And as to 'pieces', one could easily use very low value coins. With one player keeping his or her pieces 'face up', and the other 'face down'. Or, using two different city or national currency coins of the same low value. The game is both strategic, and has that element of 'luck', and I have NO doubts that betting was involved for the more experienced players against each other. You're in a Temple, if you win, it was obviously the work of the Gods.
I made my own out of left over material I had for building a dollhouse. I don’t have dice though, but I found an Android app that lets you roll dice for Ur, so I’m all set for absolutely no additional cost.
I'm convinced that the pieces take a left or a right turn after crossing the "bridge," circle around the end of the board, then exit on either the player's or their opponent's side (depending on whether it's supposed to turn away or towards player after the bridge-not sure which, though it might make sense to exit on opponent's side so that finished pieces do not get confused with pieces waiting to be played). This way, the florets are consistently 4 spaces away from each other on the route, and creates some interesting traffic at the end of the board.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I think a great house rule to try would be: You get an extra roll (or alternatively a +4 to use on any piece you like?) for exiting your piece with the exact amount needed, but you can also exit a piece with more than that amount. This creates another strategic tension during the game, and more meaningful and satisfying endgames since your last piece does not have to be exited on an exact amount.
Parcheesi is a great game with real strategy, though slightly adjusting the rules helps. Parcheesi is played with 2 dice (if you are playing with only 1 die that is probably Ludo), creating an interesting probability distribution, and the choice of moving 1 pawn the sum of the dice, or moving 2 different pawns. 1-6 are more common than 7-12, 6 being the most common of the 1-6 group, and 7 being the most common of the 7-12 group. This has interesting consequences, same as in Ur, since being 1 space in front of an opponent piece is actually safer than being 6 away, while 7 spaces away is much safer than both of them. An example: In Ur I think that it is nearly always an advantage to take an opponent's piece, even if it makes your piece vulnerable; in Parcheesi, the length of the board means that there is significant value differences in pieces that are close to the start vs. those close to HOME, forcing you to constantly evaluate which of your pawns are least dispensable and same for your opponent's pieces. In Ur, there is usually an enemy piece waiting to get on the board; in Parcheesi, there are only 4, so if your opponent has all 4 down the track, you might not take an opportunity to capture one of their pieces because it would send their piece back to their start where you would prefer to have an open track to get your pawns through without being threatened (especially if the enemy pawn you might take is not far from it's Start, and therefore of low value). It also helps to have smaller bonuses for capture/home entrance, and a rule that a pawn can be entered into HOME with either the exact value needed (getting a bonus) or a value higher than that (getting NO bonus) so you don't have a player outplaying the others then losing the game just because they couldn't roll the exact amount for their last pawn.
According to Dr Irving Finkel this is merely the simplified version of the game. The true and authentic version was played where each piece has specific powers and abilities.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain Yeah, i'll correct myself there a little after checking again. Not so much a "true authentic" version as an alternate version. As well as there also being an alternate board design where there are no safe zones at the end but rather just a long straight line. Very interesting game 😊
This was probably the original version of the game actually, since the tablet Dr. Irving described was from a much later period, and seemed to be describing a variation on a game that the reader is assumed to be already familiar with.
I have just started playing the Game of Ur and like it tremendously. Of course I have a few issues with how you play it! I have another path going round the small end of the board over to the opponent's side before coming back to my own side to go off. This way there are 20 moves to exit (and 20 squares on the board) more opportunity to bump your opponent off especially because none of the rosettes (florettes) ( not even the one on the "bridge" are safe. Additionally I believe the game of Senet could be slightly younger than the "Royal game of Ur" but they were played simultaneously for thousands of years (to wit Tutankhamun had several game boards with Senet on one side and the Game of Ur on the other. The instructions that were deciphered by a Finkley at the British Museum were for a much more complicated version (with betting and all sorts of additions) and thanks to a photograph of another cuneiform tablet lost during WW 1 the simple version we now know has been reconstructed.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain This board and the various rules are so much fun, its enough for the moment. I do make my own pieces and tetrahedral dice though, and I am working on an embroidered and a wooden box board to replace my printed paper board.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain a link to a Google Drive folder with an image of some of the tetrahedral dice and game pieces I am making for my family, and the laminated print I am using as a board until I make a better one. drive.google.com/file/d/1AOYw2h5lHoskzk4Vo1kdM7HaPFDZPYIR/view?usp=drivesdk
It is said that the board symobls two cities connected by a bridge. Other say the neck is the Gate of a city and the players are the merchands who want to reach thier places on the market first. There boards in ancient Egypt style too.
Been reading rules online. I have never seen mention of skipping over an occupied florette. I have only read that one cannot land on an occupied florette. Where did you learn this rule?
Irving Finkel, the man who discovered the rules, mentions it at about 4 minutes and 33 seconds into this video. ;) ua-cam.com/video/WZskjLq040I/v-deo.html
No one knows. The rules tablet that was discovered doesn't mention them. Many believe that our understanding of the rules is incomplete and that those spaces had meanings but we may never know.
Most likely just decorative tbh. The rosettes are the only one with any significance. The reason we are reasonably certain about that is that other gameboards have been found that do not have any decoration in the squares other than the three or five X markings.
They may be lost to time, or just decorative. There's an alternate, strategy game that some people came up with on this board that actually uses all the symbols for different things.
Considering we do have other examples of the game without the other markings aside from the rosette squares (often marked with a simple X), I think it’s most likely they are simply decorative.
Not a horrible video.. it's kind of odd playing against yourself and referring to yourself in the third person. Possible tips: get better audio insulation the echo of your room is muffled and weirdly low quality. #2: get a partner to play the games with. It would be better content. #3 Show a still of the rules before you start playing. #4 overall not terrible but it could be better my man!
Okay, if you check out any of my more recent videos, you'll see #1 I now use a better mike #2 I always use 1 or more other people to help me run through games now #3 this one's a little silly, but I always try to run people through a few turns to get a feel for the game #4 I hope that I have gotten better since this particular video was from more than 2 years ago. I'm busting your chops a bit here, but your suggestions are quite out dated. I welcome current suggestions if you'd like to check out my more current videos. Many of the changes that I have made were do to suggestions from viewers. Thanks for watching and commenting. ;)
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR. www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
Lynn bases the entirety of her ratings on her enjoyment factor and she's not a big fan of race games in general. Still, 5 isn't negative, it's just middle of the road. She will still play the game on occasion.
All Tetrahedrons are Pyramids, though not all Pyramids are Tetrahedrons. See the definitions to follow. Pyramid Geometry In geometry, a pyramid is a polyhedron formed by connecting a polygonal base and a point, called the apex. Each base edge and apex form a triangle, called a lateral face. It is a conic solid with polygonal base. A pyramid with an n-sided base will have n + 1 vertices, n + 1 faces, and 2n edges. All pyramids are self-dual. In geometry, a tetrahedron (plural: tetrahedra or tetrahedrons), also known as a triangular pyramid, is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, six straight edges, and four vertex corners. The tetrahedron is the simplest of all the ordinary convex polyhedra and the only one that has fewer than 5 faces.[1] The tetrahedron is the three-dimensional case of the more general concept of a Euclidean simplex, and may thus also be called a 3-simplex. The tetrahedron is one kind of pyramid, which is a polyhedron with a flat polygon base and triangular faces connecting the base to a common point. In the case of a tetrahedron the base is a triangle (any of the four faces can be considered the base), so a tetrahedron is also known as a "triangular pyramid". Like all convex polyhedra, a tetrahedron can be folded from a single sheet of paper. It has two such nets.[1] For any tetrahedron there exists a sphere (called the circumsphere) on which all four vertices lie, and another sphere (the insphere) tangent to the tetrahedron's faces. All Tetrahedrons are Pyramids, though not all Pyramids are Tetrahedrons.
That’s a fair request. 😉 I did a quick google search to make sure I was remembering correctly from my high school geometry class. I cross checked the definitions on Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, Wikipedia, and Dictionary.com. The definitions I posted were copied and pasted from Wikipedia because it gave the most involved definitions, though all three sources did agree. The parameters for defining a Pyramid are fairly loose. You are correct that the shape is more specifically a tetrahedron, but I was not incorrect in calling it the more general term Pyramid. I hope you didn’t take offense. 😉
The Board Game Kaptain thanks for the reply and I didn't take offense. It's also been a long time since I took high school geometry (1992). I like to have some reference so I can always dig deeper. Remember the pursuit of knowledge is also the pursuit of truth.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain This contains both Walker's rules and a papercraft set! ocastudios.com/classics/ur/releases/version%200-1-0/Classics-Royal-Game-of-Ur-0-1-0-EN.pdf
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR. www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
My copy was given to me as a gift and appears to be no longer in print. here are a few nice copies I found for sale with a quick search though. www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?gpla=1&gao=1&&:pla-4584894770612295_c__206754019&msclkid=d91626646c8e1b1649ea7a2ceb41597a www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?gpla=1&gao=1&&:aud-805670569:pla-4584894770612295_c__270595060&msclkid=78546e5de2fe1e89ff4232156ae739ae www.amazon.com/Games-Antiquity-Board-Game-011/dp/B07CP1CT98/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1548257385&sr=8-3&keywords=ur+game
@@arthurreilly3868 I'm aware of the hnefatafl family of games. I even have a copy of Tablut, which is one of them. I don't understand what it has to do with Ur or why you're commenting it.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I've never had so much confusion dealing with a UA-camr before. In the UR video, you asked for suggestions of other historical games that your viewers might like to see reviewed, that's why I brought it up. I mentioned the Copenhagen version because it's the one they use when they play the World Championships. As a side note, I'm the guy whose name you couldn't remember nor find who suggested your review of Agamemnon. I found my name and comment in less than a minute, so it's hard to believe you put and effort into it. I'd like to continue to watch your channel, but if you're still confused after reading this, I probably won't. Thanks for your quick responses. And good luck with your future reviews.
@@arthurreilly3868 no need to get upset, I was just trying to clarify. You literally commented on a video from 3 years ago by just saying the name of anther game. I didn't understand. I apologize for not giving your request for the Agamemnon review credit to you, I was really still new to all of this then, and that was years ago. I currently have a copy of Tablut, I'll have to check what the differences are in the rules between it and Hnefatafl - The Copenhagen Version.
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR. www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
I have played this game. I really like it. A few things I noticed: - the dice are basically 1 / 2 chance, so you can just as well use coins as dice. Pawns you can find from any game ( chess, RISK, ...). So all you need is the board. - This is also fun with groups. I gathered about 10 friends around this board, we pick teams... then you can rotate, every 5 times it's your turn. Of course this takes away the stategy that you would want to keep to, but then again, 10 players learn to play instead of 2. I printed a board on paper, laminated it, I keep it in my backback almost all thi time
We were in a bar, friendly atmosphere, so that did'n matter much. It was mostly just to introduce it. And anybody who came close to us was curious., most kept watching Just looking at the game they understood it in no time (with a few words of explaining)
Emmanuel Delay That is an amazing idea. I've only just - today - found this video, after finding the video with Dr Irving Finkler playing it with Tom Scott. I had heard about the game years ago, but had never known how to play it. Being a nerd, with many nerd friends, I'm definitely going to print off a board myself and can't wait to see how it goes.
ua-cam.com/video/WZskjLq040I/v-deo.html The curator of the British Museum and a mathematician sit down to play. A Zero or 4 are a 1/16th chance, a 3 is a 1/4th chance and a 2 is a 3/8ths chance. Irving Finkle is an interesting man to listen to as well because of his long history working on the board game, which he started studying at the age of 9 if his curator corner video on the subject is to be believed.
Emmanuel: I agree: Ur is wicked fun, but I may be biased as I am a huge fan of Backgammon and a lot of concepts in backgammon translate to Ur. You might want to look into what a “backgammon chouette”[1] is for the next time you find yourself in a similar social situation. It’s a way of turning backgammon (or Ur or any two player game) into a social multiplayer game. The specifics of play involve the doubling cube, but strictly speaking you could drop the cube and still keep the basic idea intact. This article describes chouettes nicely: [1] www.bkgm.com/variants/Chouette.html In a nutshell, one player is designated the “box” and the remaining players all team up against him. One player on the team is designated as the captain and the remaining team members are “the crew”. The box’s goal is to win and hold on to being the box (it’s the prestige seat). The captain is the challenger trying to become the box. If the captain wins, he becomes the box in the next game, the prior box goes to the end of the crew rotation. if the captain loses, the box stays put and it’s the captain that is sent to the end of the crew line. Either way, the next crew member in line becomes the new captain (challenger) with each game. It’s a lot of fun, especially if you relax the “consultation” rule (see [1]) so that the crew could suggest moves and consult with the captain about strategy at any time. The way I played, the crew couldn’t say a word until the doubling cube became involved, which is a stricter form of chouette. Regarding choice of pieces, eventually I’ll have a decent budget to fabricate or purchase a nice set for myself. But right now I’m looking to make a “starter” set for myself and perhaps a dozen friends. $25 should do it, as it turns out: • $8 for a bag of fifty blank d6 dice (cubic dice) • $0 for borrowed black nail polish to make dots on three sides of each die • $12 for a full set of Go stones (361 stones in all; black and white) • $5 for some color laser printing of the boards on 11”x17” paper. • …free shipping on all of the above I looked into using blank d4 dice and adding dots to the vertices by hand, but all the dice I’ve seen are way too costly for me to make those dozen sets. …and I see that Ur boards are freely available under Tabletop Simulator®, so that’s an even cheaper route for online play with friends. ;-)
It's so crazy to think about the fact that the rules we got from the clay tablet are 2000 years younger than the game itself. Imagine if our only source on how to play Chess was one of the weirder "fairy chess" versions.
11:35 - The better move would be to leave that piece there for now, and move one onto the board (or whatever). Because 1s are statistically quite unlikely to roll.. but rolling a 2 is the best odds. 12:27 - Not worth losing that safe spot.. for such a low chance. He would have to get a 0 or a 4, likely twice or more in a row.. unless you get a 3 after his first 0 or 4.. which is only a 1 in 16 chance.. not odds I'd take in exchange for losing the strong position in the middle (at least temporarily). But this was great for demonstration purposes! of course. Gotta show the different aspects of the game. Okay I'm glad you mentioned the basic odds at the end. This was the best review type of demonstration of the game on youtube that I have seen. The best video in general is Irving Finkel and Tom of course lol. I think the different odds for different numbers adds a lot of interesting strategy, it also raises the skill level to maybe meet with the luck level (Irving Finkel said the skill was a bit lower than the luck 40/60.. but he doesn't factor in odds, so yea). He may still be right though. Also the basic odds are easy to remember which is good.. just remember that the middle number is the highest odds, then the farther out in both directions it goes, the lower the odds are (equally). 0 = 1/16 1 = 4/16 2 = 6/16 3 = 4/16 4 = 1/16 There's a website where you can play this game called "your turn my turn", and it's really fun. The computer doesn't play around though! ruthless. Also if you make your own and don't have D4 dice.. you can use 4 wooden ice cream sticks, because that's how the ancients often played board games like this and Senet. It's the same odds for each number compared to four D4 dice. Colour one side of each stick one selected colour. I think this game is great. I'm not very into board games, but this just took my interest. It's simple enough, and has enough luck to be fun and easy, and the level of skill is not hard to attain and apply.. you pick it up quick and it's also quick to play a few games.. so it's hitting a lot of the marks. I don't enjoy overly complex games, or games where it's too reliant on skill, or take forever.. Plus it's such a cool history, and even the dice are awesome. Board looks really nice too.
I was playing both sides and trying to keep it moving quickly, so I wasn't always making the most optimal moves. Thanks for the positive feedback and thanks for laying out the odds for each roll. I also think this game is great and lots of simple fun. If you wanted to try some more modern games, you should look for the "5 minutes to learn, a lifetime to master" sorts of games based on why you like UR. Here's a few recommends, if your interested, with links to their BGG pages. ZERTZ boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/528/zertz Onitama boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160477/onitama YINSH boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7854/yinsh
Yea definitely. My tips will solely be for potentially interested future viewers. Awesome, I'll definitely check out those games. Yinsh isn't on the channel, but I'll watch the other 2. Potential future Yinsh video? lol.
I give the Royal game of UR a ten, but in order to do that I need some changes. First I like small time gambling games. In my method the players have 7 game pieces, but they are different: 1 King, 2 knights, 4 guards. There is an ante, say a quarter, to start the game. When you knock a king off 15 cents, a knight 10 cents, and a guard 5 cents. The star on the bottom is named a fee space. When you land on that space you pay a fee. All funds go into the pot and the winner of the game takes the pot. Try it.
Sounds very interesting. I’m not big on gambling, but I really like the idea of different types of pieces in this game. Perhaps rolling different numbers of dice or even allowing press your luck re-rolls. :)
My Friends and i came up with a version that is more strategic and leads to longer game Sessions. The additional Rules are pretty simple: - you dont come out on your Side of the Board but on the other Side where your Opponent comes out in the normal Version. Like in a War you start in your Territory, move to neutral territory and have to occupy the opposing Territory (that isnt on the Board) - the Player that has opposing Stones on his Side now has the Option to a) get out to the opposing Territory to have 7 Troops (Stones) there first or b) move to his own Territory and kick the opposing Troop from the Board. But in that Case he has to get the Stone out on his Side and get the Stone on the Board again. Also the last Rosette dosnt protect but just gives an extra Throw. - you can also say that the extra Throw from the last rosette just allows you to put Reinforcements on the Board but not to move from the Board into your Opponents Territory. You dont need the special Dices to play the game because its just a Coinflip and so you can just use Coins instead. We use painted Sticks from Popsicles because you can play the Game on Glass tables too without putting anything on the Table to protect it from Scratches. And the Popsicle Sticks make less Noise than Dices or Coins. And who dosnt want to eat 4 Popsicles to be able to play a Boardgame? ;)
The original tablet that Doctor Irving Finkle translated actually describes a variation on the basic game, so it’s kjnda fun to think that you are carrying on the tradition!
The strategy rules are that each player takes 4 dice and 6 pieces. You roll off to see who goes first and then take turns placing the pieces on the board. once all pieces are on the board you take turns rolling and moving that far in any direction, even diagonal, and jumping single pieces at a time of either color though you may not move onto the same space twice. Once moved you flip that piece over and may not move it again until all of your pieces have moved, at which time you flip them all right side up again. You win by either having 4 pieces on identical spaces or making it so that your opponent cannot make a legal move on their turn. I tried it once and didn't like it. Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR. www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
There is nothing more satisfying than when your opponent's last piece is stuck on the last floret because they can't roll a one in time before you move all your remaining pieces off the board.
you should try it with the other rules, it's way more fun. each of the other marked squares has rules, you can stack pieces on some, trapping opponents pieces. there are safe unstackable places, so you can deny your opponent that square. you flip pieces when going back, and flipped pieces may not interact with the other ones.
My son and I play this game with a laminated print & play board (this can be found for free), Meeples and binary (0s & 1s) d6 dice. Every game we've played has been really close as to who won.
I built my own game after discovering it and the wife and I just love playing it. We use 3 triangle dice and do not play the rosette as safe , but may try it now. I read somewhere that other variations of play have the pieces tracking around the entire board and returning where you entered the game. We don't like that version. I'm curious, is the rosette being safe an original rule as best we know ?
The original meaning to the symbols other than the flower have been lost to time. They may have been simply decorative or they may have had a game effect, it is not currently known.
We actually have other examples of the same game board that don’t have any other markings except in the rosette squares (often using a simple X), so the idea of them being purely decorative seems most likely to me.
Reinforced the game rules as I understood them which I think are the best ones.I learned about it in a British Museum video by Irving Finkeland itwas given to me as a recent birthday present
If you're interested in this game you should look up Dr Irving Finkel on British Museum UA-cam, I believe he's the guy who translated the cruciform tablet and re-discovered the rules of the game. He has a number of videos on the topic and is generally fascinating and quite the character to boot.
Cuneiform tablet...
See the UA-cam video where Finkel plays Tom Scott.
I went on the video and commented that I prefer Walker's rules.
Hail Dr. Finkel 🙇🏻🙇🏻♀️🙇🏼♂️
I'm coding a version of this game in Python as a learning project.
Nearly all numbers involved in this game fit absurdly well into binary:
* The number of pieces each player has is 7, which is the maximum value for a 3-bit integer. So we can store the number of pieces waiting to come onto the board and the number of pieces home in 12-bits (6-bits per player).
* There are 14 squares on the board either player can occupy, and since only one piece can occupy each square we can store the position of the entire board in two 16 bit integers. I added two bits to include an 'entrance square' that shows at least one piece is waiting to enter the board, and an 'exit square' that shows a piece has successfully left the board and is waiting to be counted. (These two extra bits make the logic of moving pieces much easier.)
Overall, the total amount of memory required for a game of GoU (including things like dice rolls and count variables used to draw the board and pieces) is 56 bits.
Very cool! Will this be your first board game that you've turned into a video game, or have you done others?
I do have to point out that what made racing games (i.e The Game of Ur, Set, or Backgammon) such a staple in ancient times was that viewers watching games played out would gamble by biding during a match on which player would win, just like how today viewers of horseraces would gamble on which horse would win during a race. Roll and move games would then become a dramatic spectacle with money changing hands as fast as when a match ends. Also being that the rules were so simple to remember, that helped players to have lightning fast matches with others. Players would have to think on their feet, giving new light to what we think about with luck-based roll and move games. So these were in other words their version of the gambling games that we play today in Las Vegas; which are also completely luck-based with a hidden amount of strategy due to the probability of the game.
Now granted as time moved on with games like these, the gambling aspect was removed so to suit them more for younger children which caused many people later on as they got older to not take these games as seriously as they use to in ancient times.
I'm just going to end with that if my theory is correct, maybe this gambling aspect is the main reason that archeologists today have found early racing boardgames that we know of in ancient royal tombs and that maybe we should bring back this gambling aspect with new fresh modern eyes on games that we deem as boring and meh-ness due to its "luck-based" gaming mechanisms.
Great insights! Gambling has a way of making people feel more invested in the game. Still, I do like the game even without the gambling.
The thing that makes Backgammon an interesting game played by high-rolling (!) celebrities (complete with backgammon clubs in Beverly Hills, at least in the 1970s) is the doubling cube, which supposes that the game is being played for stakes. So, in a way, Ur's descendent (it is sort of an ur-Backgammon, for a geeky pun) is still around, precisely due to the gambling element, just as you propose. I suspect a doubling cube would make a fine accessory to the game of Ur.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I've only played it a few times against a computer, but I suspect this is more of a luck game with some strategy than a strategy game with luck. During the endgame, it seems that anything can happen no matter what happened previously, making it basically a luck-based (as long as both players have the basic strategies down) dispute settler or gambling game that is more interesting than just throwing dice or drawing lots or a press your luck mechanic. When you get down to your last piece the advantage seems to shift heavily to the player that has more pieces. Maybe I just haven't played it enough yet.
My family loves Parcheesi but to avoid games in which someone outplays everyone but then loses because they can't roll the correct # to enter their last pawn, we created a rule: You can enter any pawn into HOME with the exact # needed to enter it (for which you get a bonus of +10) OR with a value higher than that (for which you get NO bonus). That solves the problem and introduces a strategic factor of deciding how to enter your pawns, since sometimes it is advantageous to dump a pawn without the bonus even if it's not your last pawn.
This is the best explanation of the game that I have found online so far, thank you! By the way I found a really nice replica set on the British museum site. A bit expensive but I might just go for it, the game looks rather fun
You're very welcome, and thank you for watching and commenting. I hope you enjoy the game. :)
It was the backgammon of its day
I have to be a nerd and point out those dice aren't pyramids (one side is square) but tetrahedrons (all sides triangles)
[reaches for the nerd doubling cube…]
Actually, the presenter is using the term “pyrimidal” correctly, especially when you see he’s struggling a bit to see if there’s a more specific term. Unless otherwise specified, the term “pyramid” suggests what is known in geometry as a square pyramid; a type of pyramid formed when triangular sides are joined to a square base and meeting up at a common vertex (the “apex“). But a tetrahedron is also a type of pyramid, specifically a triangular pyramid formed from a triangular base.[1,2] Generally speaking, the base can be any type of polygon, and since there can be any number of sides to a polygon (at least three, that is), there are an infinite number of types of pyramids. From pentagonal bases you would construct pentagonal pyramids; hexagonal bases would lead to hexagonal pyramids, and so on indefinitely. The definition of a pyramid encompasses all of these subtypes.[3,4]
Interestingly, most folks visualize •regular• tetrahedrons when the term “tetrahedron” is used, but that too is an imprecise usage. The polygon at the base doesn’t need to be a regular polygon with congruent side lengths and angles, nor do the triangular faces of the pyramid need to be congruent nor equilateral. Generally speaking, a pyramid can be a sloppy thing horribly leaning over; you can put the apex wherever you want. But in the context of fair d4 dice, you’d want to add the word “regular”, as in regular tetrahedron or regular triangular pyramid, to specify that the four faces should be congruent equilateral triangles (among other things). Thus you’re referring to the type of tetrahedron which is a regular polyhedron, or Platonic solid to use the more common term.
This confusion about pyramids is quite common. Folks seem to be far more aware of precise definitions for 2D polygons but quite lax when it comes to 3D polyhedra, I’ve found. For example, you wouldn’t use the word “rectangle” or “rhombus” to refer to a square, though a square qualifies as both. You’d use the term “square” to be most precise. The same should be the case for a tetrahedron; ideally you’d refer to it as a triangular pyramid or simply a tetrahedron, and not the more general term “pyramid”. In an ideal world, of course.
_____________________________________________
SOURCES:
[1] mathworld.wolfram.com/Tetrahedron.html
[2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahedron
[3] mathworld.wolfram.com/Pyramid.html
[4] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_(geometry)
Blind Man Bert fucking got him
@@BlindManBert, you are the man. I actually just released a video explaining this because of how often people comment that tetrahedrons are not pyramids.
ua-cam.com/video/Zrt1qOVlwVg/v-deo.html
The Royal Game of Ur is a magnificent game. To play it is to engage in a thrilling game of oracular sorcery.
To UR is human, to forgive is divine.
Hello Kaptain.
The game of UR was found drawn, or sometimes scratched, into the floors of temples. Given where it was found, it is obvious that the ceremonies were long, and probably boring to most worshipers. Or, at least, to some of those attending such ceremonies. The 'dice' could easily fit into someone's money pouch, or tucked into a fold of their clothing. And as to 'pieces', one could easily use very low value coins. With one player keeping his or her pieces 'face up', and the other 'face down'. Or, using two different city or national currency coins of the same low value. The game is both strategic, and has that element of 'luck', and I have NO doubts that betting was involved for the more experienced players against each other. You're in a Temple, if you win, it was obviously the work of the Gods.
I made my own out of left over material I had for building a dollhouse. I don’t have dice though, but I found an Android app that lets you roll dice for Ur, so I’m all set for absolutely no additional cost.
very nice!
I'm convinced that the pieces take a left or a right turn after crossing the "bridge," circle around the end of the board, then exit on either the player's or their opponent's side (depending on whether it's supposed to turn away or towards player after the bridge-not sure which, though it might make sense to exit on opponent's side so that finished pieces do not get confused with pieces waiting to be played).
This way, the florets are consistently 4 spaces away from each other on the route, and creates some interesting traffic at the end of the board.
That could be an interesting optional house rule.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I think a great house rule to try would be: You get an extra roll (or alternatively a +4 to use on any piece you like?) for exiting your piece with the exact amount needed, but you can also exit a piece with more than that amount. This creates another strategic tension during the game, and more meaningful and satisfying endgames since your last piece does not have to be exited on an exact amount.
@@zerospacer I could definitely get behind that.
Parcheesi is a great game with real strategy, though slightly adjusting the rules helps.
Parcheesi is played with 2 dice (if you are playing with only 1 die that is probably Ludo), creating an interesting probability distribution, and the choice of moving 1 pawn the sum of the dice, or moving 2 different pawns.
1-6 are more common than 7-12, 6 being the most common of the 1-6 group, and 7 being the most common of the 7-12 group. This has interesting consequences, same as in Ur, since being 1 space in front of an opponent piece is actually safer than being 6 away, while 7 spaces away is much safer than both of them.
An example: In Ur I think that it is nearly always an advantage to take an opponent's piece, even if it makes your piece vulnerable; in Parcheesi, the length of the board means that there is significant value differences in pieces that are close to the start vs. those close to HOME, forcing you to constantly evaluate which of your pawns are least dispensable and same for your opponent's pieces. In Ur, there is usually an enemy piece waiting to get on the board; in Parcheesi, there are only 4, so if your opponent has all 4 down the track, you might not take an opportunity to capture one of their pieces because it would send their piece back to their start where you would prefer to have an open track to get your pawns through without being threatened (especially if the enemy pawn you might take is not far from it's Start, and therefore of low value).
It also helps to have smaller bonuses for capture/home entrance, and a rule that a pawn can be entered into HOME with either the exact value needed (getting a bonus) or a value higher than that (getting NO bonus) so you don't have a player outplaying the others then losing the game just because they couldn't roll the exact amount for their last pawn.
According to Dr Irving Finkel this is merely the simplified version of the game. The true and authentic version was played where each piece has specific powers and abilities.
Unfortunately, we don't know the full original rules.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain Yeah, i'll correct myself there a little after checking again. Not so much a "true authentic" version as an alternate version. As well as there also being an alternate board design where there are no safe zones at the end but rather just a long straight line.
Very interesting game 😊
This was probably the original version of the game actually, since the tablet Dr. Irving described was from a much later period, and seemed to be describing a variation on a game that the reader is assumed to be already familiar with.
a really classic game thanks for sharing this! love the review portion especially
You’re welcome, and thank you.
I have just started playing the Game of Ur and like it tremendously. Of course I have a few issues with how you play it! I have another path going round the small end of the board over to the opponent's side before coming back to my own side to go off. This way there are 20 moves to exit (and 20 squares on the board) more opportunity to bump your opponent off especially because none of the rosettes (florettes) ( not even the one on the "bridge" are safe. Additionally I believe the game of Senet could be slightly younger than the "Royal game of Ur" but they were played simultaneously for thousands of years (to wit Tutankhamun had several game boards with Senet on one side and the Game of Ur on the other. The instructions that were deciphered by a Finkley at the British Museum were for a much more complicated version (with betting and all sorts of additions) and thanks to a photograph of another cuneiform tablet lost during WW 1 the simple version we now know has been reconstructed.
House ruling is tons of fun. you've made some significant changes. Have you thought about taking the next step and designing a game of your own?
@@TheBoardGameKaptain This board and the various rules are so much fun, its enough for the moment. I do make my own pieces and tetrahedral dice though, and I am working on an embroidered and a wooden box board to replace my printed paper board.
@@GregorShapiro nice, you'll have to post a link to some pics when you're done. I'd love to check it out.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain a link to a Google Drive folder with an image of some of the tetrahedral dice and game pieces I am making for my family, and the laminated print I am using as a board until I make a better one. drive.google.com/file/d/1AOYw2h5lHoskzk4Vo1kdM7HaPFDZPYIR/view?usp=drivesdk
It is said that the board symobls two cities connected by a bridge. Other say the neck is the Gate of a city and the players are the merchands who want to reach thier places on the market first. There boards in ancient Egypt style too.
Interesting, I wonder if we'll ever know for sure, or if the symbolism was attributed to the game after its creation, like the pieces in chess.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I guess even it started with a boccia game in the sand and "gate" ...maybe. and later it became a board version with dices.
I love this game I am hooked
I have the same version you’re holding and the rules are much different. Thank you for explaining the racing game version
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting. :)
Been reading rules online. I have never seen mention of skipping over an occupied florette. I have only read that one cannot land on an occupied florette. Where did you learn this rule?
Irving Finkel, the man who discovered the rules, mentions it at about 4 minutes and 33 seconds into this video. ;)
ua-cam.com/video/WZskjLq040I/v-deo.html
17:24 It's 2 am and I'm half asleep, I saw the dog from the corner of my eyes and I nearly had a heart attack thinking someone broke into your home.
He pops up in the videos from time to time. :)
Great game, had this as a kid. Many heated matches with my brother, blood was spilled.
i think stacking and allowing the pieces to move backwards will greatly enhance the strategy of the game
That could be interesting to try. though if you can bump pieces off the board moving backwards it could really increase the length of the game.
I see a great game with some tweeking of rules..
On its own it looks pleasant .Thanks for the playthrough..
I love the look of this game, i need to pick it up.
The odd shape of the board is really attention getting.
What do the pictures on the board mean, apart from the rosettes?
No one knows. The rules tablet that was discovered doesn't mention them. Many believe that our understanding of the rules is incomplete and that those spaces had meanings but we may never know.
Most likely just decorative tbh. The rosettes are the only one with any significance. The reason we are reasonably certain about that is that other gameboards have been found that do not have any decoration in the squares other than the three or five X markings.
0:57 what was that other game you mentioned? Sennet?
Nice video, I only found out about this game today, and are interested in it.
Thanks for watching! The other game is Senet. Here’s a link to info on Senet.
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2399/senet
@@TheBoardGameKaptain thanks!
@@MisterCasket you are very welcome. :)
So, i get the point of the flowers, but whats the point of all the other drawings on the rest of the spaces?
They may be lost to time, or just decorative. There's an alternate, strategy game that some people came up with on this board that actually uses all the symbols for different things.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain wow its cool youre still hearting and replying to comments, and thanks for letting me know :)
@@tealblade2994 no prob. I make a point to check out all my comments. ;)
Considering we do have other examples of the game without the other markings aside from the rosette squares (often marked with a simple X), I think it’s most likely they are simply decorative.
I like the og version. It's a fun quick game. But the more modern take I think is one of the best games to play. A lot of fun and jank
What's og?
The original basic version of the game.
Those dice falling on that table is satisfying 👍
Nice video. Bad sound.
I’m aware, I bought a nice mic between then and now. My newer videos have better sound.
Not a horrible video.. it's kind of odd playing against yourself and referring to yourself in the third person.
Possible tips: get better audio insulation the echo of your room is muffled and weirdly low quality.
#2: get a partner to play the games with. It would be better content.
#3 Show a still of the rules before you start playing.
#4 overall not terrible but it could be better my man!
Okay, if you check out any of my more recent videos, you'll see
#1 I now use a better mike
#2 I always use 1 or more other people to help me run through games now
#3 this one's a little silly, but I always try to run people through a few turns to get a feel for the game
#4 I hope that I have gotten better since this particular video was from more than 2 years ago.
I'm busting your chops a bit here, but your suggestions are quite out dated. I welcome current suggestions if you'd like to check out my more current videos. Many of the changes that I have made were do to suggestions from viewers. Thanks for watching and commenting. ;)
Where did you buy the game?
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR.
www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
I must admit, I was expecting a little bit more from a second review than "five". Why only a five?
Lynn bases the entirety of her ratings on her enjoyment factor and she's not a big fan of race games in general. Still, 5 isn't negative, it's just middle of the road. She will still play the game on occasion.
Have to make a correction for you. The dice are not pyramids. Pyramids are 5 sided. They are tetrahedrons which are 4 sided.
All Tetrahedrons are Pyramids, though not all Pyramids are Tetrahedrons. See the definitions to follow.
Pyramid
Geometry
In geometry, a pyramid is a polyhedron formed by connecting a polygonal base and a point, called the apex. Each base edge and apex form a triangle, called a lateral face. It is a conic solid with polygonal base. A pyramid with an n-sided base will have n + 1 vertices, n + 1 faces, and 2n edges. All pyramids are self-dual.
In geometry, a tetrahedron (plural: tetrahedra or tetrahedrons), also known as a triangular pyramid, is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, six straight edges, and four vertex corners. The tetrahedron is the simplest of all the ordinary convex polyhedra and the only one that has fewer than 5 faces.[1]
The tetrahedron is the three-dimensional case of the more general concept of a Euclidean simplex, and may thus also be called a 3-simplex.
The tetrahedron is one kind of pyramid, which is a polyhedron with a flat polygon base and triangular faces connecting the base to a common point. In the case of a tetrahedron the base is a triangle (any of the four faces can be considered the base), so a tetrahedron is also known as a "triangular pyramid".
Like all convex polyhedra, a tetrahedron can be folded from a single sheet of paper. It has two such nets.[1]
For any tetrahedron there exists a sphere (called the circumsphere) on which all four vertices lie, and another sphere (the insphere) tangent to the tetrahedron's faces.
All Tetrahedrons are Pyramids, though not all Pyramids are Tetrahedrons.
The Board Game Kaptain could you please cite your source?
That’s a fair request. 😉 I did a quick google search to make sure I was remembering correctly from my high school geometry class.
I cross checked the definitions on Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, Wikipedia, and Dictionary.com. The definitions I posted were copied and pasted from Wikipedia because it gave the most involved definitions, though all three sources did agree.
The parameters for defining a Pyramid are fairly loose. You are correct that the shape is more specifically a tetrahedron, but I was not incorrect in calling it the more general term Pyramid.
I hope you didn’t take offense. 😉
The Board Game Kaptain thanks for the reply and I didn't take offense. It's also been a long time since I took high school geometry (1992). I like to have some reference so I can always dig deeper.
Remember the pursuit of knowledge is also the pursuit of truth.
You are wise. I agree, I try to learn something new every day.
شكرا لكم
You’re very welcome. ;)
I play by Walker's rules, not Finkel's.
Could you post a link to Walker’s rules? I’d love to check them out.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain This contains both Walker's rules and a papercraft set! ocastudios.com/classics/ur/releases/version%200-1-0/Classics-Royal-Game-of-Ur-0-1-0-EN.pdf
Where do i buy one for brand new?!!
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR.
www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
Where did you buy it from?
My copy was given to me as a gift and appears to be no longer in print. here are a few nice copies I found for sale with a quick search though.
www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?gpla=1&gao=1&&:pla-4584894770612295_c__206754019&msclkid=d91626646c8e1b1649ea7a2ceb41597a
www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?gpla=1&gao=1&&:aud-805670569:pla-4584894770612295_c__270595060&msclkid=78546e5de2fe1e89ff4232156ae739ae
www.amazon.com/Games-Antiquity-Board-Game-011/dp/B07CP1CT98/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1548257385&sr=8-3&keywords=ur+game
Hnefatafl - The Copenhagen Version
I don't get it... What do you mean?
@@TheBoardGameKaptain aagenielsen.dk/hnefatafl_links_en.php
@@arthurreilly3868 I'm aware of the hnefatafl family of games. I even have a copy of Tablut, which is one of them. I don't understand what it has to do with Ur or why you're commenting it.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I've never had so much confusion dealing with a UA-camr before. In the UR video, you asked for suggestions of other historical games that your viewers might like to see reviewed, that's why I brought it up. I mentioned the Copenhagen version because it's the one they use when they play the World Championships. As a side note, I'm the guy whose name you couldn't remember nor find who suggested your review of Agamemnon. I found my name and comment in less than a minute, so it's hard to believe you put and effort into it. I'd like to continue to watch your channel, but if you're still confused after reading this, I probably won't. Thanks for your quick responses. And good luck with your future reviews.
@@arthurreilly3868 no need to get upset, I was just trying to clarify. You literally commented on a video from 3 years ago by just saying the name of anther game. I didn't understand. I apologize for not giving your request for the Agamemnon review credit to you, I was really still new to all of this then, and that was years ago. I currently have a copy of Tablut, I'll have to check what the differences are in the rules between it and Hnefatafl - The Copenhagen Version.
Can someone give a link to where to buy this board
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR.
www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
The Board Game Kaptain thanks so much
I have played this game. I really like it.
A few things I noticed:
- the dice are basically 1 / 2 chance, so you can just as well use coins as dice. Pawns you can find from any game ( chess, RISK, ...). So all you need is the board.
- This is also fun with groups. I gathered about 10 friends around this board, we pick teams... then you can rotate, every 5 times it's your turn. Of course this takes away the stategy that you would want to keep to, but then again, 10 players learn to play instead of 2.
I printed a board on paper, laminated it, I keep it in my backback almost all thi time
Interesting. Does the large amount of down time become an issue with large player counts?
We were in a bar, friendly atmosphere, so that did'n matter much.
It was mostly just to introduce it. And anybody who came close to us was curious., most kept watching Just looking at the game they understood it in no time (with a few words of explaining)
Emmanuel Delay That is an amazing idea. I've only just - today - found this video, after finding the video with Dr Irving Finkler playing it with Tom Scott. I had heard about the game years ago, but had never known how to play it. Being a nerd, with many nerd friends, I'm definitely going to print off a board myself and can't wait to see how it goes.
ua-cam.com/video/WZskjLq040I/v-deo.html The curator of the British Museum and a mathematician sit down to play. A Zero or 4 are a 1/16th chance, a 3 is a 1/4th chance and a 2 is a 3/8ths chance. Irving Finkle is an interesting man to listen to as well because of his long history working on the board game, which he started studying at the age of 9 if his curator corner video on the subject is to be believed.
Emmanuel: I agree: Ur is wicked fun, but I may be biased as I am a huge fan of Backgammon and a lot of concepts in backgammon translate to Ur.
You might want to look into what a “backgammon chouette”[1] is for the next time you find yourself in a similar social situation. It’s a way of turning backgammon (or Ur or any two player game) into a social multiplayer game. The specifics of play involve the doubling cube, but strictly speaking you could drop the cube and still keep the basic idea intact.
This article describes chouettes nicely:
[1] www.bkgm.com/variants/Chouette.html
In a nutshell, one player is designated the “box” and the remaining players all team up against him. One player on the team is designated as the captain and the remaining team members are “the crew”. The box’s goal is to win and hold on to being the box (it’s the prestige seat). The captain is the challenger trying to become the box. If the captain wins, he becomes the box in the next game, the prior box goes to the end of the crew rotation. if the captain loses, the box stays put and it’s the captain that is sent to the end of the crew line. Either way, the next crew member in line becomes the new captain (challenger) with each game.
It’s a lot of fun, especially if you relax the “consultation” rule (see [1]) so that the crew could suggest moves and consult with the captain about strategy at any time. The way I played, the crew couldn’t say a word until the doubling cube became involved, which is a stricter form of chouette.
Regarding choice of pieces, eventually I’ll have a decent budget to fabricate or purchase a nice set for myself. But right now I’m looking to make a “starter” set for myself and perhaps a dozen friends. $25 should do it, as it turns out:
• $8 for a bag of fifty blank d6 dice (cubic dice)
• $0 for borrowed black nail polish to make dots on three sides of each die
• $12 for a full set of Go stones (361 stones in all; black and white)
• $5 for some color laser printing of the boards on 11”x17” paper.
• …free shipping on all of the above
I looked into using blank d4 dice and adding dots to the vertices by hand, but all the dice I’ve seen are way too costly for me to make those dozen sets.
…and I see that Ur boards are freely available under Tabletop Simulator®, so that’s an even cheaper route for online play with friends. ;-)
It's so crazy to think about the fact that the rules we got from the clay tablet are 2000 years younger than the game itself.
Imagine if our only source on how to play Chess was one of the weirder "fairy chess" versions.
That's a good analogy.
11:35 - The better move would be to leave that piece there for now, and move one onto the board (or whatever).
Because 1s are statistically quite unlikely to roll.. but rolling a 2 is the best odds.
12:27 - Not worth losing that safe spot.. for such a low chance. He would have to get a 0 or a 4, likely twice or more in a row.. unless you get a 3 after his first 0 or 4.. which is only a 1 in 16 chance.. not odds I'd take in exchange for losing the strong position in the middle (at least temporarily).
But this was great for demonstration purposes! of course. Gotta show the different aspects of the game.
Okay I'm glad you mentioned the basic odds at the end.
This was the best review type of demonstration of the game on youtube that I have seen.
The best video in general is Irving Finkel and Tom of course lol.
I think the different odds for different numbers adds a lot of interesting strategy, it also raises the skill level to maybe meet with the luck level (Irving Finkel said the skill was a bit lower than the luck 40/60.. but he doesn't factor in odds, so yea). He may still be right though.
Also the basic odds are easy to remember which is good.. just remember that the middle number is the highest odds, then the farther out in both directions it goes, the lower the odds are (equally).
0 = 1/16
1 = 4/16
2 = 6/16
3 = 4/16
4 = 1/16
There's a website where you can play this game called "your turn my turn", and it's really fun. The computer doesn't play around though! ruthless.
Also if you make your own and don't have D4 dice.. you can use 4 wooden ice cream sticks, because that's how the ancients often played board games like this and Senet. It's the same odds for each number compared to four D4 dice.
Colour one side of each stick one selected colour.
I think this game is great. I'm not very into board games, but this just took my interest. It's simple enough, and has enough luck to be fun and easy, and the level of skill is not hard to attain and apply.. you pick it up quick and it's also quick to play a few games.. so it's hitting a lot of the marks. I don't enjoy overly complex games, or games where it's too reliant on skill, or take forever..
Plus it's such a cool history, and even the dice are awesome. Board looks really nice too.
I was playing both sides and trying to keep it moving quickly, so I wasn't always making the most optimal moves. Thanks for the positive feedback and thanks for laying out the odds for each roll. I also think this game is great and lots of simple fun.
If you wanted to try some more modern games, you should look for the "5 minutes to learn, a lifetime to master" sorts of games based on why you like UR. Here's a few recommends, if your interested, with links to their BGG pages.
ZERTZ
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/528/zertz
Onitama
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160477/onitama
YINSH
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7854/yinsh
Yea definitely. My tips will solely be for potentially interested future viewers.
Awesome, I'll definitely check out those games. Yinsh isn't on the channel, but I'll watch the other 2.
Potential future Yinsh video? lol.
Yes actually, I have already filmed a review and tutorial for Yinsh, I just haven’t published it yet. 😁
This blend of random and strategy perfectly exemplifies the phrase "tactics is doing what you can with what you have".
Just bought a nice set off ebay from watching this video! Thanks.
You're very welcome! I hope you like it. :)
I give the Royal game of UR a ten, but in order to do that I need some changes. First I like small time gambling games. In my method the players have 7 game pieces, but they are different: 1 King, 2 knights, 4 guards. There is an ante, say a quarter, to start the game. When you knock a king off 15 cents, a knight 10 cents, and a guard 5 cents. The star on the bottom is named a fee space. When you land on that space you pay a fee. All funds go into the pot and the winner of the game takes the pot. Try it.
Sounds very interesting. I’m not big on gambling, but I really like the idea of different types of pieces in this game. Perhaps rolling different numbers of dice or even allowing press your luck re-rolls. :)
My Friends and i came up with a version that is more strategic and leads to longer game Sessions. The additional Rules are pretty simple:
- you dont come out on your Side of the Board but on the other Side where your Opponent comes out in the normal Version. Like in a War you start in your Territory, move to neutral territory and have to occupy the opposing Territory (that isnt on the Board)
- the Player that has opposing Stones on his Side now has the Option to a) get out to the opposing Territory to have 7 Troops (Stones) there first or b) move to his own Territory and kick the opposing Troop from the Board. But in that Case he has to get the Stone out on his Side and get the Stone on the Board again. Also the last Rosette dosnt protect but just gives an extra Throw.
- you can also say that the extra Throw from the last rosette just allows you to put Reinforcements on the Board but not to move from the Board into your Opponents Territory.
You dont need the special Dices to play the game because its just a Coinflip and so you can just use Coins instead. We use painted Sticks from Popsicles because you can play the Game on Glass tables too without putting anything on the Table to protect it from Scratches. And the Popsicle Sticks make less Noise than Dices or Coins. And who dosnt want to eat 4 Popsicles to be able to play a Boardgame? ;)
Very interesting. It definitely sounds more tactical, plus you are definitely right about the popsicles. I do love me a chocolate eclair popsicle. ;)
The original tablet that Doctor Irving Finkle translated actually describes a variation on the basic game, so it’s kjnda fun to think that you are carrying on the tradition!
What are the complex rules of the game? and also do you have a link to where you bought it please?
The strategy rules are that each player takes 4 dice and 6 pieces. You roll off to see who goes first and then take turns placing the pieces on the board. once all pieces are on the board you take turns rolling and moving that far in any direction, even diagonal, and jumping single pieces at a time of either color though you may not move onto the same space twice. Once moved you flip that piece over and may not move it again until all of your pieces have moved, at which time you flip them all right side up again. You win by either having 4 pieces on identical spaces or making it so that your opponent cannot make a legal move on their turn. I tried it once and didn't like it.
Lynn bought this for me as a gift. I had her check and the particular seller is out of stock. Here's some other options for getting a copy of The Royal Game of UR.
www.etsy.com/listing/113549118/royal-game-of-ur-board-game?MJ2Artesanos_sfc_osa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6y6e7MYBWdLCYvBsPBRg-jMtxRbUBej0SkJ7KycGuAasP3I6z272WgaAggxEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/530295893/royal-game-of-ur-3d-printed-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6wsm0aBHGITFa2EZfvxu7eLsLNHyoRqAMdfvX423FjoEUAX58sO25saAj48EALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/270595060/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?&gclid=Cj0KCQjwktHLBRDsARIsAFBSb6xw2SozBMPRZWbYdLU1kszUwVbQxmJLpP6A0qDcvGUhGpjh2paHBcMaAnSoEALw_wcB
www.etsy.com/listing/206754019/royal-game-of-ur-ancient-board-game?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=game of ur&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=f3260820f6bc86bb89a8e479b80af93d56c6a50b:206754019
1:34 "I don't even know what you'd call this shape." Terran Battlecruiser-shaped.
That's awesome!
Guitar
It's a fish dumbbell!
Is it though? ;)
"Ur" great man Thanks 😄👍
Thank you, and you're welcome! :)
There is nothing more satisfying than when your opponent's last piece is stuck on the last floret because they can't roll a one in time before you move all your remaining pieces off the board.
LOL ;)
you should try it with the other rules, it's way more fun. each of the other marked squares has rules, you can stack pieces on some, trapping opponents pieces. there are safe unstackable places, so you can deny your opponent that square. you flip pieces when going back, and flipped pieces may not interact with the other ones.
I have actually, they're not bad. :)
My son and I play this game with a laminated print & play board (this can be found for free), Meeples and binary (0s & 1s) d6 dice. Every game we've played has been really close as to who won.
It is amazing how fun and playable Ur still is considering how old it is. :)
I built my own game after discovering it and the wife and I just love playing it. We use 3 triangle dice and do not play the rosette as safe , but may try it now. I read somewhere that other variations of play have the pieces tracking around the entire board and returning where you entered the game. We don't like that version. I'm curious, is the rosette being safe an original rule as best we know ?
I believe it is, as you say, as best we know. I quite like the rule, you should give it a try. :)
I would pronounce Ur as Oo-r.
Go right ahead and pronounce it that way, I won’t criticize you for it. 😉🤣
Gonna have my first game of ur later hope I like it just as much as sennet
Let me know how it goes. :)
@@TheBoardGameKaptain I like it lost 7/3 though haha
Lost 6/7 on second it took forever but I hooked now ur and sennet are on equal ground
El Dragón Rojo nice, I love a close game!
@@TheBoardGameKaptain it got heated and only the second game
17:26 good doggo
That's Fenris, he's a frequent video bomber on my channel. ;)
why do the game pieces have 5 dots
The original meaning to the symbols other than the flower have been lost to time. They may have been simply decorative or they may have had a game effect, it is not currently known.
@@TheBoardGameKaptain thanks for the info
Michael Hursh you’re very welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting. :)
We actually have other examples of the same game board that don’t have any other markings except in the rosette squares (often using a simple X), so the idea of them being purely decorative seems most likely to me.
I’m pretty sure one was literally found scrawled on a brick.
It is not the Royal Game of "Err".
Ur is pronounced as "Oor", in the same way the word Uhr is pronounced in German.
|Got it recently... great game
I'm glad you like it, I hope my video was helpful. Game on :)
Reinforced the game rules as I understood them which I think are the best ones.I learned about it in a British Museum video by Irving Finkeland itwas given to me as a recent birthday present
tranlite turkish
What crappy review. Didn’t acknowledge the British Museum curator, Dr Finkle who read the tablet.
What a crappy comment! Your grammar is terrible, and your reasoning for what defines a review as good is highly flawed. Obvious troll is obvious.