Play Fanorona Online — Malagasy Strategy Game

Fanorona on Arcadia

Fanorona is the national board game of Madagascar, a draughts-like war game played on a 5×9 grid of 45 points. Two unusual ideas make it deep: you capture either by moving toward a line of enemies (approach) or away from them (withdrawal), and a single move can trigger a chain of captures. You play the ivory stones against the onyx AI, Razana.

How to Play

Each side starts with 22 stones filling the board except the centre point.
Move one stone a single step along a marked line to an empty point.
If that step lands you next to an enemy line ahead, you capture it by approach; if it steps directly away from an enemy line behind, you capture by withdrawal.
When a step could do both, you choose which line falls.
After a capture the same stone may strike again (chain) — each strike must change direction and never revisit a point. Stop the chain whenever you like. First to clear all enemy stones wins.

Core Rules

45 points; diagonals exist only on the “strong” points where (row+column) is even.
Capturing is mandatory — if any capture exists, you must make a capturing move.
A captured line is every unbroken enemy stone behind the first captured one, along the line of movement.
Chain strikes may not repeat a direction or return to a visited point.
A player with no legal move, or no stones left, loses.

Strategy

Set up double threats where one step can capture two different lines — you pick the bigger haul.
Because capture is forced, you can bait the AI into a mandatory move that opens its formation.
Long chains win games: line up your target rows so a single stone can zig-zag through several captures.
Control the strong (diagonal) points — they give the most directions to strike and escape.
Keep your back rank intact early; broken lines are easy pickings for withdrawal captures.

Practical Tips

Green points mark legal destinations for the selected stone.
When a step strikes both ways, the choice bar lets you pick approach or withdrawal — read the counts before deciding.
Use the Stop the chain button when continuing would expose your striker.
Since captures are compulsory, plan the whole chain before you commit the first step.

FAQ

What makes Fanorona different from checkers?

Two things: you capture by moving toward OR away from enemy stones, and one move can clear a whole line of them. Multi-capture chains and the mandatory-capture rule add layers checkers doesn’t have.

What is capture by approach versus withdrawal?

Approach captures the enemy line directly ahead of the point you move into. Withdrawal captures the enemy line directly behind the point you move away from. If a single step does both, you choose which line is removed.

Do I have to capture?

Yes. If any capturing move is available, you must play one — you cannot make a quiet move while a capture exists. This is central to Fanorona strategy.

How do capture chains work?

After a capture, the same stone may strike again. Each new strike must change direction and must not return to a point it has already visited this turn. You may stop the chain at any point.