18th century games: fox games!

In Freedom’s Ring, Temperance Hayes loves games of strategy—whether they’re board games or games of the heart. Check out all the strategy games we refer to!

Fox and geese
Fox and geese is played on a + shaped board. One fox and 13 or more geese pieces are placed on vertices of the lines on the board. Geese can only move sideways, forward or diagonal, while the fox can also move backwards. The geese try to surround the fox so it can’t make a move, but the fox can also jump over geese, removing them from the board:

Fox and geese was a favorite pastime of Queen Victoria. I’m sure she’d be a formidable opponent for Temperance!

You can also play a variation on a checkerboard sometimes called fox and hounds.

Both games are similar to Halatafl, a Norse game that dates back to the 14th century! This variant is sometimes called fox and sheep, and the sheep’s objective is to fill the top square (paddock) with sheep.

Which fox game is your favorite?