Ea-Nasir is famous as the Babylonian copper merchant whose shoddy ingots inspired history's oldest known customer complaint letter. In The Royal Game of Ur, he is your computer opponent—and he plays to win. Here is how to turn the tables on him.
1. Respect the rosette squares
There are five rosettes on the board. When you land on a rosette, you get an immediate extra roll. More importantly, the central rosette on square 8 is a complete sanctuary: Ea-Nasir cannot capture a piece sitting on it.
Never bypass an opportunity to park a piece on square 8. Controlling this square divides the battlefield in your favour.
2. Rule the central track
Squares 5 through 12 form the shared central channel where pieces can be captured and sent back to the start. Do not rush solitary pieces into this lane when Ea-Nasir has pieces poised 1 to 4 squares behind you.
Instead, advance in pairs or hold safe positions until you can capture one of his advancing stones or leap directly onto a safe rosette.
3. Keep spare pieces in reserve
Having all seven pieces on the board at once leaves you vulnerable to forced moves. Keeping one or two pieces ready to enter from home allows you to use low dice rolls (like a 1 or 2) effectively without jeopardising advanced pieces.
Ready to test your strategy? Challenge Ea-Nasir now and see if you can claim victory.