01 — Introduction
What is Yutnori?
Yutnori (윷놀이) is a traditional Korean board game dating back to the Baekje kingdom (~18 BCE – 660 CE). It is played by tossing four wooden sticks — called yut (윷) — and moving pieces around a board based on the result.
The game is most popular during Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Harvest Festival), played by families gathered together. The loud clatter of the sticks and the cheers after each throw are as much a part of the experience as the game itself.
2–4
Players
4
Yut sticks
4
Pieces per team
~20m
Game length
02 — Equipment
The Pieces
Yut Sticks
윷Four semi-cylindrical wooden sticks — flat on one side, rounded on the other. Toss all four and count how many land flat-side up. The short stick (단) is special — it determines 빽도 when only one lands flat.
빽도
−1 step
도
+1 step
개
+2 steps
걸
+3 steps
윷
+4 steps
모
+5 steps
Game Pieces
말Each team has 4 pieces, called mal (말, "horse"). First team to get all 4 around the board wins.
Team A
Team B
03 — The Board
The Board말판
Outer Track
The board has 20 squares around the perimeter. Pieces start at 하 (Ha) — the bottom-right corner — and travel counter-clockwise back to the same point.
Corners (모)
Three corners are marked 모. Landing exactly on one activates a shortcut through the center, cutting diagonally across the board.
Center (중앙)
The center connects all three diagonal shortcuts. Pieces passing through exit near the start, reaching home faster than the outer track.
Dashed lines on the board
Landing exactly on a corner activates the shortcut. Overshooting keeps you on the outer track.
04 — Rules
How to Play
Decide turn order
Each team throws once. The higher result goes first. Ties are re-thrown.
Throw the yut sticks
Toss all four sticks. Count how many land flat-side up to get your result — 도(1), 개(2), 걸(3), 윷(4), or 모(5). 빽도 moves backwards.
Move a piece
Choose any piece and advance it by the number of steps rolled. You may enter a new piece from the bench or advance one already on the board.
Extra throws for 윷 and 모
Rolling 윷 (4) or 모 (5) earns an extra throw. You can use extra throws on different pieces.
Capturing an enemy piece
Land on an enemy square to capture it — sending it back to the bench. Capturing also earns a bonus throw.
Winning
First team to move all 4 pieces past the finish line (하) wins. Pieces don't need to land exactly — overshooting is fine.
Throw the Yut
Click the button to toss all four sticks. The short stick (단) is special — it determines whether you get 도 or 빽도 when only one lands flat.
05 — Special Rules
Special Rules
These three rules create most of the drama in any game of yutnori.
When one specific combination appears — one flat, but only the shorter stick — the active piece moves backward by one space. If no piece is on the board, the throw is lost.
If your piece lands on a friendly piece, they stack and move as one unit. Capture a stack and all pieces in it are sent home at once — high risk, high reward.
Land exactly on an enemy piece to capture it. They return to the bench. As a reward, the capturing team earns a free extra throw — turning the enemy's bad luck into your momentum.
The comeback mechanic
Capturing always grants a bonus throw — so a team far behind can close the gap quickly. No game is truly over until the last piece crosses the finish line.
Play it
Move the Pieces
Two teams, four pieces each. Throw the yut, select a piece from the board or bench, then confirm your move. Land on an enemy to capture — and earn a free throw.
● Red Team's Turn
Throw the yut to begin!Red Team
Blue Team