GAME OF

THE
GENERALS
 OBJECTIVE
The Game of the Generals, also known as GG or GOG or simply The Generals,
is an educational war game that simulates armies at war trying to overpower,
misinform, outflank, outmaneuver, and destroy each other. It optimizes using
logic, memory, and spatial skills. It also simulates the “fog of war” because the
identities of the opposing pieces are hidden from each player and can only be
guessed at by their location, movements, or from the results of challenges. The
game’s objective is to eliminate or capture the opponent’s Flag or to maneuver
one’s Flag to the far edge of the board (the opposing back rank), subject to the
following conditions:
• The Flag, if challenged, is eliminated by any opposing piece, including
the opposing and challenging Flag. If a player’s Flag is eliminated by a
challenge, that player loses the game.
• The Flag, if moved, must be revealed to the opponent. If a player moves
the Flag to the opposing back rank, that player wins the game.
• The Flag cannot be moved into a square where it can be challenged by
an opposing piece on the next turn unless the opponent has no other
pieces except the Flag.

HISTORY
The Game of the Generals was invented in the Philippines by Sofronio H. Pasola Jr. in
1970. Its Filipino name is “Salpakan.” It can be played within twenty to thirty minutes.
It is designed for two players, each controlling an army, and a neutral arbiter
(sometimes called a referee or an adjutant) to decide the results of “challenges”
between opposing playing pieces that have their identities hidden from the opponent.
The Pasolas first tried the Game of the Generals on a chessboard. Even then, the pieces
had no particular arrangement. There were no spies in the experimental game; but
after Ronnie Pasola remembered the James Bond movies and Mata Hari, he added the
Spies. Making the pieces hidden was the idea of the Pasolas after remembering card
games. The Game of the Generals’ public introduction was on February 28, 1973. After
the game was made, it angered many Filipino chess players thinking that Pasola was
trying to denigrate or supplant chess.
EQUIPMENT
S
The game is played on a rectangular board with 9 rows and 8
columns, similar to a chessboard. Each player has 21 pieces,
representing different ranks in the army. The pieces are flat and
have a symbol or insignia that identifies their rank, but only the
owner of the pieces can see them. The opponent only sees the
blank side of the pieces. The pieces are placed on the first three
rows of the board, in any arrangement the player chooses. The
ranks and symbols of the pieces are as follows:
MOVEMENTS

Movements of each piece in the game

Each piece can move one square per turn, horizontally or vertically, but not diagonally.
The pieces cannot jump over or move through another piece, friend or foe. The only
exception is the Spy, which can move one or two squares per turn, but still cannot jump
over or move through another piece.
A player can either move a piece or challenge an opposing piece that is adjacent to one of
his or her own pieces. A challenge is an attempt to eliminate or capture an opposing piece
by comparing their ranks. The arbiter is the one who announces the result of the challenge,
based on the secret schedule. The possible outcomes of a challenge are:
The challenging piece is higher in rank than the challenged piece. The challenged piece
is eliminated and removed from the board. The challenging piece occupies the square
vacated by the challenged piece.
The challenging piece is lower in rank than the challenged piece. The challenging piece
is eliminated and removed from the board. The challenged piece remains in its original
square.
The challenging piece is equal in rank to the challenged piece. Both pieces are eliminated
and removed from the board. The square is left vacant.
The challenged piece is the Flag. The Flag is eliminated and removed from the board. The
challenging piece occupies the square vacated by the Flag. The player who loses the Flag
loses the game.
The challenged piece is the Spy and the challenging piece is the Private or the Sergeant.
The Spy is eliminated and removed from the board. The challenging piece occupies the
square vacated by the Spy.
The challenged piece is the Spy and the challenging piece is any officer from 2nd
Lieutenant to 5-Star General. The challenging piece is eliminated and removed from the
board. The Spy remains in its original square.
The challenged piece is the 5-Star General and the challenging piece is the Spy. The 5-
Star General is eliminated and removed from the board. The Spy occupies the square
vacated by the 5-Star General.
 HOW TO PLAY?
The game is played by two players, each with a set of 21 pieces of the same color, either red or blue.
The players also agree on a third person to act as the arbiter, who will have a copy of the secret
schedule of the ranks of the pieces.

The players secretly and randomly arrange their pieces on the first three rows of the board, facing
them so that only they can see their ranks. The arbiter does not see the board or the pieces at any
time during the game.

The arbiter flips a coin to decide which player will make the first move. The players then alternate
turns, either moving a piece or challenging an opposing piece. The arbiter listens to the moves and
challenges announced by the players, and declares the results of the challenges according to the
schedule.

The game ends when one of the following conditions is met:

One player captures the Flag of the other player by challenging it with any piece, except the 5-Star
General. The player who captures the Flag wins the game.

One player moves the Flag to the far edge of the board (the opposing back rank) and reveals it to the
opponent. The player who moves the Flag wins the game.

One player loses all movable pieces (all pieces except the Flag). The player who still has movable
pieces wins the game.

Both players agree to a draw, or the arbiter declares

NOTABLE PLAYERS

Miguel Malvar Joe Theismann

Miguel Malvar