Hare and Hounds: Rules and How to Play
Hare and Hounds is a 5-minute chase on a board for 2. Three hounds close in to corner the hare; the single hare looks for a gap to slip behind them. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Setup
- 2 players. On your own, play against the computer.
- The board is eleven points joined by lines. The three hounds start at the left end and the top and bottom of the left column; the hare starts at the right end.
- Hounds move first. Play again swaps the hound and hare roles.
How to play
- On the hounds' turn, move one of the three hounds one step along a line to an adjacent empty point: right, diagonally right, or up and down within a column. Hounds can never move left.
- On the hare's turn, move the hare one step along a line to an adjacent empty point, in any direction.
- Diagonal steps are only possible where a diagonal line is drawn (through the two end points and the centre point).
- Nobody jumps and nothing is captured.
Winning and scoring
- If the hare cannot move on its turn, the hounds win (cornered).
- If the hare stands left of every hound, it has got away and wins. This also happens when a hound steps forward and leaves the hare behind.
- If the hounds have made 30 moves without cornering the hare, the hare wins (default). Hounds may not make a move that returns to a position already seen.
- A setting switches to the other classic rule: the hare wins if the hounds move vertically ten times in a row. A player may also resign.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swap roles on rematch | Play again switches who plays the hounds. | On | Can be changed |
| Getting-away rule | What happens when the hounds cannot finish the chase. 30 moves is the classic in Japan: if the hounds need more than 30 moves, the hare wins, and hounds may not repeat a position. Ten vertical moves is the classic in English: the hare wins if the hounds move vertically ten times in a row. | 30 moves | Can be changed |
| Hare's starting point | Where the hare begins. Right end is the classic diagram, centre is the middle point, random is any of the four points in the two right-hand columns. | Right end | Can be changed |
Terms
- Point
- Where lines meet. Pieces sit on points, not in squares. There are eleven.
- Diagonal line
- Only the lines through the two end points and the centre. No diagonal move without a line.
- Behind
- Left, from the hounds' side. Hounds can never move back.
- Getting away
- The hare standing left of every hound. The hare wins.
- Cornering
- Blocking every point the hare could move to. The hounds win.
- Repetition
- Returning to a position already seen. By default the hounds must avoid it.
FAQ
Can a hound move back?
No. Only right, diagonally right, or up and down, so once passed it can never catch up.
Is the hare captured?
No. The hounds win when the hare has no point left to move to on its turn.
Which side is stronger?
With perfect play the hounds always win, but a single gap lets the hare slip through behind them.
May positions repeat?
By default the hounds may not return to a position already seen, and the hare wins if it lasts 30 hound moves.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.