Row removal duel — Printable Materials & Rules

Set up three unequal rows

The board contains three rows with three, four, and five circles. They are drawn symbols, so no small counters are necessary. Two players take turns crossing out circles. Four to eight guests can play separate pairs or two balanced teams. Choose a first player and exchange the first move in a return game. Before starting, say the winning rule aloud: the person who crosses out the last remaining circle wins. Some familiar removal games use the opposite ending, but that is not the rule of this printed starter version.

Make exactly one row smaller

On a turn, choose a row that still contains at least one uncrossed circle. Cross out any positive number of the remaining circles in that row, from one up to all of them. You cannot take zero, work on two rows at once, restore a circle, or pass. The circles do not have to be adjacent because only their row and remaining count matter. Once the chosen crosses are marked, the turn passes to the other player. Removing a whole row never earns an extra move.

Use a clear example position

At the beginning the counts are three, four, five. A first move might cross two circles from the bottom row, leaving three, four, three. The next player could remove one from the middle row, leaving three, three, three; removing one from each row in that same turn would be illegal. If the final position contains one circle in each of two rows, a player can remove only one row’s single circle. The opponent then removes the last circle and wins. This demonstrates the finish without promising that a particular first move guarantees success.

Record mistakes before continuing

Announce the row and intended number before marking, especially when one partner writes for another. If a mark accidentally touches a circle in a second row, correct that stray mark before the next turn and keep the announced move. Do not change a legal move after discovering that it helps the opponent. The round ends immediately when all twelve circles are crossed; check who made the final legal move. For a short match play two rounds with swapped first players. Each win earns one point, and a one-to-one result is a shared match.

Play without a printer if needed

The printable includes four independent boards and a small result record. Use a fresh board for every round; do not try to reuse crossed circles with unclear erasures. Without a printer, draw three rows containing three, four, and five large circles on ordinary paper. Larger symbols, spoken row names, and a partner scribe can make participation easier. A cooperative alternative is to predict the final player from a nearly finished position and test that prediction together, outside the scored match. The page provides physical boards and complete rules, not a computer opponent or an online strategy engine.

Keep the row totals visible

After a move, say the three remaining counts aloud, including zero for an empty row. That small readback catches a mistaken second-row mark before the next player chooses. An observer may record the counts, but should not advise one side during a scored match. In a learning round both people can discuss possible moves openly and then reset on a fresh board.