Board games
Game of the Goose
- players
- 2–6
- minutes
- 20
- years
- 5+
In the box
1 board of 63 spaces · Pawns · 2 dice
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- Dice RollingEventsLose a TurnRaceRoll and Move
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
Affiliate link: Marquoir may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The basics
Reach square 63 exactly, making your way past the well, the prison and the maze. On your turn, roll the two dice and move forward by their total: the geese move you on again by the same amount, the bridge takes you further, while the inn, the well, the prison, the maze and death hold you back or send you back. The first on square 63 wins; any excess makes you move back by that amount from square 63.
The rules, step by step
Setup
63-square spiral, 2 dice, 1 pawn each
- A spiral board of 63 squares, two dice, one pawn per player.
- All the pawns start from the start square.
How to play
Move by the total, Goose: move again, Square 58 → start
- Roll the two dice and move forward by their total.
- The goose squares, in two series nine squares apart (5, 14, 23… and 9, 18, 27…), move you on again: move forward by the same amount once more, and again if you land on another goose.
- The bridge takes you further, the inn makes you miss a turn, the well and the prison hold you until another player frees you.
- Square 42, the maze, sends you back to square 30.
- Square 58, death, sends you back to the start.
- A 9 on the very first roll sends you straight to square 26 if made with a 6 and a 3, to square 53 if made with a 5 and a 4.
Scoring
No points, Games won
- No points: count the games won.
End of the game
Square 63 exactly, Excess moves you back
- You must reach square 63 exactly.
- Any excess makes you move back by that amount from square 63.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
How do you move?
Roll the dice and move your pawn that many squares along the spiral, towards the goose in the centre. It is a game of pure luck, ideal for the youngest players.
What are the goose squares for?
Landing on a goose square moves you on again: you move forward by the same number of squares once more, without rolling again. A run of well-placed geese can send a player shooting ahead in one go.
What do the trap squares do?
The bridge, the inn, the well, the prison, death… each has its own effect: moving back, missing turns, going back to the start. They are what spice up the race.
Do you have to land exactly on the last square?
Yes, as a rule: you must reach the goose in the centre (usually square 63) with an exact count. Any excess makes you move back by that amount.
How do you win?
The first pawn to reach the final square exactly wins the game. There are no decisions to make: it is all down to the dice.