NANKU (2021)

NANKU is a 3-dimensional game that uses a single ‘dual’ piece composed of two cubes of different colours.

In NANKU, players alternate turns placing or stacking pieces with the aim of creating a line of 4 cubes of their colour (a ‘nanku’). Each player has an allocated colour (White or Black). Place the 40 pieces within both player’s reach, but leaving room for the game on the playing surface.

Starting with White, players alternate turns placing one piece from the supply in any position (even standing vertically) following these placement rules:

a) The piece must align with the cubic grid.

b) It must be adjacent (two faces touching) to at least one already played piece, if any.

c) It must be fully supported by either the table or pieces below it; i.e. no overhangs are allowed.

The first player creating a line of 4 cubes of her colour wins the game. Lines can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal and any two consecutive cubes from that line must be touching each other by at least one edge (not only a vertex). Also all 4 cubes must have at least one exposed (visible) face.

If, at any moment, you knock a piece over, you immediately lose the game.

It is recommended to play on a surface that can be rotated, and you’re allowed to rotate it on your turn.

On your first plays, you’ll notice how black wins almost all the time. As you play more, then white will win most of the time (find the best opening for white). But once you gain more experience, games might last more than 30 turns and wins will balance out.