The Verdigris Pawn

The Verdigris Pawn

This page includes two abstract games based on Alysa Wishingrad’s The Verdigris Pawn (HarperCollins, 2021).

Fist is the abstract game described in the novel, an asymmetric game about challenging the rule of a king. The Verdigris Pawn is a powerful piece that can be controlled by either player.

Hens and Chicks is a game based on similar principles, not included in the fiction, and found only here at Crab Fragment Labs.

Fist is a two-player abstract strategy game, in the same family as chess, tafl, and xiangqi. The game is described in detail in Alysa Wishingrad’s upper middle-grade novel, The Verdigris Pawn.

Fist is an asymmetric strategy game, meaning that each side has different pieces and goals. The King’s forces are plentiful, but somewhat weak, while the Challenger’s pieces are few, but clever. If the Challenger’s pieces can learn to work together, they can overthrow the King. Between the two sides stands the Verdigris Pawn, a powerful piece that can be controlled by either player.

These rules are an open beta version, meaning that we are still open to changes. You can download the rules and make your own Fist set using pieces from one chess and one checkers set.

We hope you’ll enjoy Fist, and please send us your feedback to help us make the game as good as it can be.

Files and Links:

More About Crab Fragment Labs:

If you are new here, please take a moment to look around. Crab Fragment Labs is the creative outlet of game inventor James Ernest, who has been creating and publishing original tabletop games, including classic-style abstract games like Fist, for more than 25 years. You’ll find several original games here, as well as design notes, instructional videos, and more.

More about the Verdigris Pawn:

The Verdigris Pawn (HarperCollins, 2021) is the debut novel from Alysa Wishingrad. It’s a poignant tale about how appearances aren’t always what they seem, and how real power can come from the most unlikely places.

Hens and Chicks is a simpler game based on similar princplies to Fist. This game does not appear in the fiction, but was imagined as a beginner’s game, the “checkers” to this world’s version of “chess.” Understanding Hens and Chicks can give you some insight into the strategies of Fist.

In Hens and Chicks, Each side begins with the same set of game pieces: six hens and ten chicks. The object is to move one of your pieces all the way across the board. You will need ten chicks (checkers) and six hens (pawns) for each player, as well as a standard chessboard.

Call it a sleeping gem, but Hens and Chicks actually made #4 on Off Earth Games’ top ten list of abstract games! This makes us double-proud, since his #1 was Tak.

Please Support Us on Patreon

We have a Patreon page, as you might expect, and you can help us immeasurably by joining our cadre of Hermit Crabs. If you love what we do, and you want to support our huge catalog of free content, please become a Hermit Crab today!

Click here for details.