Madagascar's classic strategy game, where one slide toward or away from an enemy line can wipe out the whole row.
Fanorona is a traditional game from Madagascar. The board is a lattice of points, nine wide and five deep, joined by straight and slanted lines. With 22 pieces per side at the start, almost every point is taken before the first move.
What sets Fanorona apart is how you capture. You never hop over anything. Instead, you slide a piece up to an enemy line, or away from one, and that entire line is removed.
Rules in brief
White moves first. A turn means moving one piece a single step along a line into a free point. All points connect horizontally and vertically, while roughly half add diagonal links too.
There are two ways to capture:
- Approach. Your slide ends right beside an enemy piece in the direction you moved. That piece is captured, along with every enemy piece in an unbroken line behind it.
- Withdrawal. Your piece starts next to an enemy and slides straight away from it. The enemy line you left behind is captured.
A single slide can never do both. If one move could work either way, buttons appear so you can choose which line to take.
Chains and forced captures
After a capture, the same piece may keep going and capture again. Each new step must change direction, and the piece cannot land on a point it already visited that turn. You can stop at any moment by pressing Done capturing.
Capturing is compulsory. Whenever a capture exists for any of your pieces, you must make one, and the game will refuse anything else. Ordinary non-capturing moves, known as paika, are legal only when no capture can be made.
Strategy notes
Long enemy lines are your best targets. One approach into a row of four removes all four at once. Before each move, check both directions, since a slide toward one group may also set up a withdrawal from another.
The forced capture rule can work in your favor. Leave one piece as bait so that the capture your opponent is forced to make exposes them to a bigger chain in reply. Points with diagonal lines are strong, because a piece there can attack in eight directions. As the board thins out, moving freely starts to matter more than having extra pieces.
Why it’s worth a try
Fanorona feels very different from most board games because of its line captures. The opening is wild, with big swings on almost every turn, and the endgame turns into a careful hunt.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move a piece | Arrow keys and Enter to pick the piece, then the target point | Click your piece, then the empty point it should slide to | Tap your piece, then the empty point it should slide to |
| Choose the capture type | — | Click "Capture forward (approach)" or "Capture backward (withdrawal)" when both are possible | Tap "Capture forward (approach)" or "Capture backward (withdrawal)" |
| End a capture chain early | — | Click "Done capturing" | Tap "Done capturing" |
| Start a game against the computer | — | Click "vs Computer", pick white or black and a level, then click "New game" | Tap "vs Computer", pick white or black and a level, then tap "New game" |
| Take back a move | — | Click "Undo" | Tap "Undo" |
Fanorona FAQ
Can two people play Fanorona on one device?
Yes. Choose the two-player mode and take turns on the same phone, tablet or computer. You can also play the computer at Easy, Medium or Hard, picking white or black before you start. White always takes the first move.
How do I win a game of Fanorona?
Capture every enemy piece, or leave your opponent with no legal move on their turn. Counters under the board show how many pieces each side has lost, so you can track who is ahead.
Is my game saved if I close the page?
Yes. A game in progress is stored in your browser and comes back when you return. Undo lets you take back moves while you learn, and Resign ends a game early if it is clearly lost.
Does it work on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. You can play with taps, mouse clicks or the keyboard. The board is simple to read on small screens, and the capture choice buttons only appear at the moment you need them.
