This commercial version of the game was made by World Wide Games, Delaware, Ohio, a company which is no longer in business. This copy was acquired in 1970, but the game had been manufactured and marketed for a number of years before that time. There are a number of other commercial versions available today.
Made of pressed wood, the board is 29.5cm square x .5cm thick. It is painted with red and black circles which are the areas where counters are placed during play of the game. There are a number of Korean words painted on the board in red along the sides, with the English word "start" below the first circle in the chain of 29 circles.
The four "Throw Sticks" made of a hard wood are 17.4cm long x 2cm wide x 1cm thick. One side of each stick is round and has the word "Yoot" painted at one end and Korean characters painted at the other end. The reverse side of each stick is flat.
Fifteen 3.2cm circular counters were furnished with this set and were made of cardboard. There are five of each color - gray, white, and black.
The following instructions are edited slightly from the printed version provided by World Wide Games.
Yoot (or Nyout) is the most popular game of Korea and has been played by ail classes for centuries. In old times, it was played only at New Year's season (ending around January 15th) when visits were exchanged. Now, it is also played at Harvest Day (around August 15). It is related to the Hindu game of Parcheesi.
Object of the game is to take all counter of your color around the board and off. Moves are determined by throwing the sticks.
The old time games were circular. According to tradition, the 29 spots represent the horse soldiers of the famous general, Hiang Yu, (B.C. 291). In Korea the game is often played on a straw mat on the floor or the ground. Games very similar to Yoot hove been found among American Indian tribes and in Mayan ruins in South America. Some have been cut in stone, same hove been on buffalo or deer skin with the playing field marked in heads or quill work. Sticks like the Yoot sticks may be found in museums of natural history. The games among the American Indian tribes are usually circular, indicating that they had come into the Western hemisphere before the Koreans began using the square shape. The diagonals are not always complete in the Indian games.
Yoot may be played by two, three, four or six persons. When four play or six play, it is a partner game. Partners sit opposite each other and have counters of the some color. If three play, it is customary to have three colors - and each person sends around only three counters. Any other number of players or partners send if there are counters around the board.
These may be mode of stones, wood, or pieces of cardboard. In one World Wide Games versions, rubberized cork is used for counter including three different colors. Counter were originally called horses.
The most important equipment is the set of four Yoot Sticks. The shape is half round about 7 inches long, the size of a man's finger, white or plain on the flat side, and marked on the rounded side. In Korea Yoot sticks are made of hardwood, often highly polished, and usually slightly tapered toward the ends. Round side may be painted with lovely snow copped mountains, or just marked with a charred or burned design.
The four sticks ore held in one hand, tossed into the air. Some players have elaborate ways of placing the sticks and tossing them with much flourish, attempting to Influence the result; but whether the round or flat side shows is largely a matter of chance. The number of spaces a player may move his counter forward is determined as follows from the toss of the four sticks:
The one who starts the game is determined by throwing the sticks - the highest number leading.
| One flat side up{and 3 round sides) | 1 | (To) |
| Two flat sides up (and 2 round) | 2 | (Ko) |
| Three flat sides up (and 1 round) | 3 | (Koul) |
| Four flat sides up - and a free throw | 4 | (Yoot] |
| Four round sides up - and a free throw | 5 | (Mo) |
Free throws are usually taken before moving the counter.
A player may move his partner's counters. Players all enter their counters at the same starting point, and move around counter-clockwise. To bring a counter home and off the board, it is necessary to throw exactly the number needed to go one beyond the finish. No one can sit his counter on the last spot.
When one player moves a counter to a spot occupied by an opponent, the opponent's counter is sent back to start over, and the player gets another throw. (Free throws are usually taken before moving the men).
If a player throws so that one of his counters lands upon another of his own counters, they may be "doubted up" and ride around together as one counter. (If a three is thrown - both counters move forward together 3 spaces.) Of course, they may both be sent back, if an opponent lands on the same spot. Three can ride together hut not four.
If a man lands on the corner spot, or on the intersection of the diagonals, or the next move, he may take the shortest way home. For example: a throw of 5 would permit placing a starting man on the first corner, a free throw of 3 would place the counter on the middle spot, and a throw of four would take it off the board. If you have a counter on the comer spots or the center spot, you must take the shortest way. That is, you are not permitted to take the longer way in order to send an opponent back to start.
The player or team wins which first brings all counters around the playing area and off the board.
Last update December 7, 2010