This page (and the Variant it covers) is currently named for its creator, Red Kutai; proper name suggestions are always welcomed.
Equipment
Board
Kutai Pai Sho utilises a normal game board; the most common variant of the game is played on the board's valid intersections (intersections of which at least half of each adjoining square lie on the board), while others utilise the squares between them.
Colored Intersections
An intersection is whatever colours the squares touching it are. Thus, intersections can Red, White, Yellow, or any combination of the three. In the event that an intersection touches a square with more than one colour, treat that square as whatever colours touch the intersection point. (Thus, the squares themselves may be multiple colours.) As a rule of thumb, an intersection is every colour a Tile placed on it would overlap.
Tiles
Each player has a set comprised of 29 pieces
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A B C D E
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The pieces of Kutai Pai Sho are (from top to bottom): A. Day Cherry Blossom, Day Chrysanthemum, Day Iris, Day Maple, Day Peony, Day Rhododendron; B. Night Cherry Blossom, Night Chrysanthemum, Night Iris, Night Maple, Night Peony, Night Rhododendron; C. Day Clover, Day Jasmine, Day Lily, Day Pine, Day Willow, Day Wisteria; D. Night Clover, Night Jasmine, Night Lily, Night Pine, Night Willow, Night Wisteria; E. Cup, Spade, Twig, Wheel, and White Lotus.
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Red Flowers
The Red Flower Tiles are the Cherry Blossom, Chrysanthemum, Iris, Maple, Peony, and Rhododendron. Each player has two of each tiles, once representing a light or daytime version, and the other representing a shady or nighttime version. These tiles may only be placed on red or yellow intersections.
| Red Flowers | ||
| Name | Season | Value |
| Cherry Blossom | Spring | 2 points |
| Chrysanthemum | Summer | 2 point |
| Iris | Spring | 1 point |
| Maple | Fall | 3 points |
| Peony | Summer | 1 point |
| Rhododendron | Winter | 3 points |
White Flowers
The White Flower Tiles are the Clover, Jasmine, Lily, Pine, Willow, and Wisteria. Like the Red Flowers, players have both Night and Day versions of both. These tiles may only be placed on white or yellow intersections.
Pine (Winter, 1 point)
Jasmine (Winter, 2 points)
Wisteria (Spring, 3 points)
Lily (Summer, 3 points)
Clover (Autumn, 1 point)
Willow (Autumn, 2 points)
Other Pieces
The last 5 pieces are the Wheel, Cup, Spade, Twig and White Lotus. Each player has one of each of these, and each have unique properties. Unless otherwise noted, these tiles can only be placed on yellow intersections.
Wheel [Water] (Forms a 2-point Harmony with either Autumn Day or Summer Night Flowers; 2 points)
Cup [Fire] ( Forms a 2-point Harmony with either Spring Day or Winter Night Flowers; 2 points)
Spade [Earth] (Creates No Harmonies; prevents adjacent flowers from causing Disharmony; 1 point)
Twig [Air] (Forms 1-point Harmony with any Flower; 3 points)
White Lotus
Unlike the other special tiles, the White Lotus is a flower tile, and can thus be used as a Centerpiece. It can be placed only on Red or White intersections (it is the only piece that cannot be played on entirely Yellow intersections). It forms Harmonies with other tiles equal to their point values.
Gameplay
The Centerpiece
Play begins by playing a flower in the board's center; this is the Centerpiece. The player placing the Centerpiece may place any of his Flower tiles (thus excluding the Cup, Spade, Twig, and Wheel tiles). In order for a player to gain points for a Harmony, that Harmony must link back to the Centerpiece. Tiles serving as the Centerpiece are never affected by Disharmony.
Harmony
After the Centerpiece has been played, each player takes turns placing one piece on the board at any valid intersection. After a player places a piece, that player calculates the current Harmony. Pieces are in Harmony if they fulfill the following conditions:
- The pieces share at least one property; the properties are colour (Red or White), light (Day or Night), and season (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). The more properties shared, the higher the value of the Harmony.
- A straight line can be drawn between the intersections those two pieces are on. This line may not intersect any other pieces.
- The pieces do not have a higher valued Harmony with any other pieces. Additionally, they may not have an equal-value Harmony with nearer pieces. (This is called Harmony preference, though this rule is not always mandatory.)
Harmony grows out from the Centerpiece; each piece can have Harmony with one piece other than its connection back to the Centerpiece. Pieces with identical flowers (whether Night or Day versions) do not form Harmony with each other.
Disharmony
Whenever two pieces are played directly adjacent to each other (on two intersections connected by a line with no intersections between), they create Disharmony. While the pieces remain adjacent, neither piece can form Harmony with any other piece without overcoming it. Overcoming Disharmony works as such:
- If the Disharmonious pieces have no similarities, neither can form Harmonies. This is a complete Disharmony and it cannot be overcome while both pieces remain in play.
- If the Disharmonious pieces have 1 similarity, each can form only 3 point Harmonies.
- If the Disharmonious pieces have 2 similarities, each can form Harmonies worth 2 or more points.
- If the adjacent pieces have 3 similarities (including identical pieces), they create no Disharmony. These pieces may create Harmonies normally.
See Also: