Jungle · Rules and setup
Win by entering the enemy den, capturing every enemy animal, or leaving the opponent without a legal move. The third occurrence of the same board and side to move is a draw. You cannot enter your own den.
Jungle · 0
2–2 players · Turn based; duration varies
WANGO play v1; Wolf 4, Dog 3; open information
Winning and ending the game
Win by entering the enemy den, capturing every enemy animal, or leaving the opponent without a legal move. The third occurrence of the same board and side to move is a draw. You cannot enter your own den.
Setup
Dou Shou Qi · Basic Table Setup
Center of the table
- 7×9 board: two rivers, three traps and one den per side
- All pieces face up; red circles and blue diamonds identify sides
Each player
- Eight animals per side: elephant, lion, tiger, leopard, wolf, dog, cat and rat
- Human seats use account avatars; animal portraits represent pieces
WANGO play v1; Wolf 4, Dog 3; open information
Turn sequence
First check the den entrance and the positions the opponent can eat next, then choose one of your own pieces. → Usually move one space horizontally or vertically; only the rat can enter the water, and the lion and tiger can jump straight across the river. → Check rank, rat-elephant exceptions, river boundaries, and traps, then confirm the landing square. → After moving, check the den, remaining pieces, legal actions, and threefold repetition; if not finished, hand over to the opponent.
Check threats
Check den entrances and enemy capture threats, then select one of your animals.
Red moves first by default; choose the starting side in game settings. Sides alternate turns.
Move or jump
Usually move one space horizontally or vertically. Only rats swim; lions and tigers can jump straight across a river.
Land on an empty space or an enemy you can legally capture; diagonal moves are forbidden.
Resolve capture and terrain
Check ranks, rat–elephant exceptions, the water boundary and traps before choosing a destination.
An animal on an enemy trap has strength zero; leaving restores its rank.
Check the result
After a move, check dens, remaining animals, legal moves and threefold repetition; otherwise pass the turn.
Wait for the AI in solo practice, or hand over to the other local player.
Wait for the AI in solo practice, or hand over to the other local player.
Scoring and settlement
Site strategies discuss tradeoffs in the shown position and do not promise any route always wins.
Ending and victory
Win by entering the enemy den, capturing every enemy animal, or leaving the opponent without a legal move. The third occurrence of the same board and side to move is a draw. You cannot enter your own den.
- Win by entering the enemy den, capturing every enemy animal, or leaving the opponent without a legal move. The third occurrence of the same board and side to move is a draw. You cannot enter your own den.
Common rules and exceptions
What are the ranks? Can equal ranks capture?
Elephant 8 > Lion 7 > Tiger 6 > Leopard 5 > Wolf 4 > Dog 3 > Cat 2 > Rat 1. Equal or lower ranks can usually be captured, subject to rat–elephant and trap exceptions. WANGO uses Wolf 4 and Dog 3.
Can rats capture elephants, and vice versa?
On land, a rat can capture an elephant; normally an elephant cannot capture a rat. If the enemy rat occupies a trap owned by the elephant’s side, its strength is zero and the elephant may capture it.
Can a rat capture directly from water onto land?
No capture may cross the water–land boundary. Move onto an empty bank first, then capture on a later turn. Two rats in water may capture each other.
Which rats block a lion or tiger jump?
A rat of either side on an intervening water square blocks the jump. Jump straight across the entire river horizontally or vertically, and still check whether the landing capture is legal.
Is a large animal automatically captured in a trap?
It is not captured automatically. On an enemy trap its strength becomes zero, it cannot capture, and any enemy with a legal approach may capture it. It may escape to an empty square. Friendly traps do not weaken friendly animals.
Must I capture every enemy to win?
No. Any friendly animal legally entering the enemy den wins immediately. An opponent with no animals or no legal move loses; the third occurrence of the same board and side to move is a draw.
Follow a real sequence
Teaching position: a blue lion is on the bank, with a red rat in its straight jump path.
Read the riverbank
Teaching position: a blue lion is on the bank, with a red rat in its straight jump path.
The red rat blocks this crossing.
A blocking rat’s side does not matter.
Red moves the rat
The red rat moves to an adjacent empty water square outside that jump path; assume all other conditions stay the same.
The path is no longer blocked by a rat.
Check which enemy routes your rat move opens.
Blue checks the destination
If the far-bank destination is empty and no other rat blocks the path, the blue lion may jump straight to it.
The lion completes one jump, then Red takes a turn.
An occupied destination still requires checking ranks and traps; jumping does not override capture rules.
Remember for your first game
- This guide covers WANGO AI and local two-player play: a 7×9 board and eight animals per side. Traditional editions vary in ranks and capture details; check the rules for your edition.
- Check den entrances and enemy capture threats, then select one of your animals.
- Elephant 8 > Lion 7 > Tiger 6 > Leopard 5 > Wolf 4 > Dog 3 > Cat 2 > Rat 1. Equal or lower ranks can usually be captured, subject to rat–elephant and trap exceptions. WANGO uses Wolf 4 and Dog 3.
This guide covers WANGO AI and local two-player play: a 7×9 board and eight animals per side. Traditional editions vary in ranks and capture details; check the rules for your edition.
Getting started: questions and answers
Who is Jungle for?
Mutual support gives you more ways to advance or retreat than sending one strong animal ahead alone.
What should first-time Jungle players remember?
WANGO trial play v1; wolf rank 4, dog rank 3; open-piece match; the player count and duration on this page are shown according to this site's trial-play mode.