Puli Meka 19

How to play

A 19-point variant of Puli Meka (Aadu Puli Aatam). The 24-point board's two bands are merged so they share a single centre line instead of each carrying its own edge — five fewer points, a tighter hunt, and the same triangular pen on top. Three tigers hunt twelve goats, and either side is yours to play.

Rules

  • Choose to play Goats 🐐 or Tigers 🐯 before the round begins.
  • As Goats: place your 12 goats one at a time, then slide them along the lines to hem in the tigers.
  • As Tigers: step along the lines, or leap over an adjacent goat into an empty point beyond to capture it.
  • Tigers win by capturing 4 goats; goats win by trapping every tiger with no legal move.

Tips

With only 19 points there is far less room to retreat, and the shared middle line runs the full width of the board — it is the longest leaping lane here, so goats should keep it packed. Tip (Tigers): the middle line and the two outer sides are the only long runs outside the pen; herd goats onto them and set up double-jumps.