Rules

It's very easy to play Fanorona. There are just some simple rules that you can learn and master within 2 minutes. Let's see them:

How to win

All you have to do consists of capturing all your opponent's pieces. Also, you are considered a winner if your opponent can't move anymore. If each player is unable to move, then it's a draw.

Opening game

• Each player begins with 22 pawns.
• If pieces are black and white, then the player with white pieces starts the game.
• A piece moves straight or diagonally along the lines, from a lines' point of intersection to another (represented by the big holes on the above image).

position of each pawns at the beginning of the game

Capture movement

• You can get your opponent's pawns in two ways:
• You move towards them, by a distance of one line to capture a piece or a line of pieces.
• You move away from them, by a distance of one line, to get the same result.

During and after the first move

• After a capture, you can continue to attack your other opponent's pieces if they are within your range ( a distance of one line) during your current turn. You can continue to move only  if it's to capture pieces.
• Only the first capture is compulsory, you can choose to stop your next attacks when you want.

CAUTION: 

• All the capturing during a given turn are done by the same pawn.
• The pawn must take a different direction each time it moves during the attack.
• The pawn can't stand twice on the same spot during a current turn.

After doing "a", blue can continue to capture red's pieces following "b".

Ending game

When one player has no pieces left, or can't move anymore, the game ends, and the other player wins. If the two players are unable to force his opponent into the impossibility of moving, the game is a draw.

Here is an example of a fanorona match on Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag: