Fianco a 2005 design by Fred Horn

I recently posed a question with the Abstract Nation on Facebook asking what were three games players preferred on an 8x8 checkerboard.

Not surprisingly there was a lot of commonality in answers and IMHO a few gems missed.

So over the coming weeks I’ll offer a few short reviews of what I see as the best games to be played on an 8x8 checkerboard with the added constraint you have only two sets of 24 pieces – basically you buy two matching common checker sets.

This is #13.

Back a few when I added Renpaarden to the 8x8 & 48 project because 9x9 games work so nicely using the checkerboard intersections I said there would be another game or two that used that little trick.

Well here is the next on; Fianco a 2005 design by Fred Horn, and a production board produced at one point by Gerhards Spiel und Design.

Fianco, which I have seen online is Italian for ‘side’ or ‘flank’, has a rather unique initial lay out – see photo – with the simple goal to be the first player to move one of your pieces to the opponent's back line.

The rules here are rather straight forward too, making it an easy try with your own 8x8 & 48 Project set.

On a turn, you move or jump with one of your pieces either forward (whether orthogonally or diagonally) or sideways. In this one backwards movement is not allowed.

You can capture in Fianco too – in fact you must if possible.

You capture by jumping (diagonally forward) over an enemy stone – so very much like regular checkers -- landing on the immediate empty cell.

While capturing is mandatory as noted multiple / maximum is not enforced.

Fianco is not particularly unique, but you start from a very different formation, that provides just enough difference that it’s a good one to add into a play mix.