Overview

CheeseGambit is a hybrid board game combining Parcheesi's cross-shaped board with Backgammon's core mechanics. Race your pieces around the board and bear them all off to win. Features two signature moves: the Gambit and the CheeseGambit.

Board Layout

The board is a cross shape with 72 spaces on the shared track. Each player has:

• Safe Zone — 6 spaces branching off the track into the player's arm. Only you can enter. Pieces here can't be bumped.
• Re-entry Zone — 6 spaces in the opponent's arm where bumped pieces re-enter.
• Pool — off-board area for bumped pieces waiting to re-enter.
• Bear Counter — displays how many pieces you've borne off.

        [ BLUE ARM ]
        [  S1...S6 ]
             |
  [GREEN]--[HOME]--[YELLOW]
  [ARM  ]  [    ]  [ARM   ]
             |
        [ RED ARM  ]
        [  S1...S6 ]

  Players: Red (bottom), Blue (top)
           Green (left), Yellow (right)

Players & Pieces

2-4 players. Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow. 2-player is always Red vs Blue.

14 pieces per player (adjustable), placed on the board at game start in stacks of 4, 3, 4, 3.

Starting Positions (4-Player)

Dice & Movement

• Roll 2d6 each turn
• Each die is a separate move — move 1 or 2 pieces
• Doubles = 4 moves of that value
• Must use full dice values if possible
• If only one die is playable, player chooses which piece to move
• No legal moves = turn forfeited
• Movement is clockwise

Hitting / Bumping

A single piece on a space is a blot (vulnerable). Land on an opponent's blot to bump it to their pool.

Re-entry After Being Bumped

• Bumped pieces go to your pool
• Roll 2d6 — place a piece on the re-entry space matching either die value (1-6)
• If both spaces are blocked, you dance (lose your turn)
• All pool pieces must re-enter before you can move other pieces

Blocking

• 2+ same-color pieces on a space form a block
• Opponents cannot land on a block
• Opponents can pass through a block

Safe Zone & Bearing Off

• Each player's safe zone is a branch of 6 spaces off the shared track, leading into their arm
• Only the owning player can enter — opponents pass straight through
• Enter with exact dice values only
• Pieces in the safe zone cannot be bumped
• Once all your pieces are in the safe zone, you can bear off
• Bear off by rolling the number matching the space position, or higher from the highest occupied space
• Bearing off is uninterruptible

Special: The Gamble

A mandatory high-risk mechanic during bearing off.

• The double value targets that safe zone space
• ALL pieces on that space are borne off at once
• If the space is empty: turn is lost entirely — "Dance baby dance!"
• Mandatory — no choice, doubles always trigger the gamble during bearing off
• Normal doubles (4 moves) do NOT apply during bearing off

  Example: Bearing off, roll double 3s
  → All pieces on S3 are borne off!

  Example: Bearing off, roll double 5s
  → S5 is empty → "Dance baby dance!"
  → Turn lost, no moves.

Special: The Gambit

An offensive power move using doubles.

• A Gambit button appears — choose to use it or play normally
• Move 2 pieces from your stack onto the opponent's space
• Bumps all opponent pieces there to their pool
• Your 2 pieces form a new block
• Using the Gambit IS the turn — remaining doubles are forfeited

  Example: Red has 4 pieces on space 9.
  Blue has 2 on space 13 (4 away).
  Red rolls double 4s → Gambit!
  Move 2 from 9 → 13, bump both Blue.
  Red now blocks space 13. Turn ends.

Special: The CheeseGambit!

A defensive counter when an opponent "cheeses" you by blocking your re-entry zone.

• Place 1-2 pieces from your pool onto the blocked space
• Bumps all opponent pieces there to their pool
• Ends the turn, BUT grants an extra turn (roll again)
• Named because blocking re-entry is a "cheesy" strategy

Doubling Cube (Taunt)

• After bumping an opponent, you can taunt them to double the stakes
• Only available at the end of your turn after a bump
• Target opponent accepts (stakes double) or drops (loses at current stakes)
• Can be disabled in lobby settings

Winning

First player to bear off all pieces wins! "Bring all the boys home."

• Game ends immediately for the winner
• Remaining players can vote to continue for 2nd/3rd place

Quick Reference