The board game Catch the Lion from the online store Woodcat

As is well known, different cultures around the world have their own versions of popular classic board games. For example, the Japanese have their own version of poker called Koi-Koi. They also have their own version of chess, shegi. And it was this Japanese chess that formed the basis for the magical children's game Catch the Lion. The rules have been simplified compared to the adult version, and the magical design, with illustrated animals instead of the usual tiles with hieroglyphs, is ideal for young players.

Catch the Lion is a dueling board game for kids and the whole family. Each player leads a team of four animals: a giraffe, a chicken, an elephant, and, of course, a lion. To win, you must be the first to catch your opponent's lion or lead your king of the beasts into their territory.

At the start of the game, place the animal pieces as per the rules. The elephant, giraffe, and lion will be in your territory—the line closest to you. The chicken will be one step further away.

Players take turns. On your turn, move one of the animal pieces, following specific movement rules. Each animal has its own rules for movement on the game board:

• The chicken only moves forward, but can develop into a rooster when it reaches the opponent's territory - and then the rooster will move almost anywhere it wants (except diagonally backwards).
• An elephant can only walk diagonally.
• The giraffe can walk both vertically and horizontally.
• Leo has no restrictions on movement.

There can only be one animal per cell. When you land on a cell with an opponent's animal, you capture it. On your next turn, you can place that animal anywhere in your territory—your ranks are growing.

The game ends when a lion is captured or a lion reaches the opponent's territory without the opponent capturing the king of the beasts on their turn. Whose team will prove more agile in this little competition?

The board game Catch the Lion allows young players to learn the basic rules of Japanese chess in a magical, playful way. Each animal piece has movement clues in the form of dots, simplifying the learning process. Players can try out a variety of strategies. Although the game is quite simple, you'll have plenty of exciting games against any opponent.