How to Play Four Field Kono
Four Field Kono (sa-bang-go-no) is a Korean game of surprising depth for a board with sixteen squares.
The rules
- The 4×4 board starts full: White's eight pieces fill the bottom two rows, Black's eight the top two. White moves first.
- Capture by jumping orthogonally over one of your own pieces onto an enemy piece directly beyond. The enemy piece is removed. Jumps are never diagonal, never over an enemy, never onto an empty square.
- A plain move steps one square orthogonally onto an empty square.
- Captures are not compulsory.
- You lose when you are down to one piece or cannot move. Forty consecutive moves without a capture is a draw.
Playing on kawu
Tap a piece, then its destination; dashed squares show the legal targets. The line under the board shows piece counts and the quiet-move counter. Hint shows the hard computer's move. Play either colour against three levels, or two players on one device. Undo is allowed.
Next: Kono strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I jump over an enemy piece?
No. In Kono you jump over your own piece, and the square beyond must hold an enemy piece, which is captured. Jumping over an enemy or onto an empty square is not allowed.
Why can only captures be made at the start?
The board starts full, so there is no empty square to step to. The only legal moves are jumps over your front-row pieces onto the enemy's front row.
Last updated 2026-10-21