Arimaa/Elephant and Camel Attacks

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1. Objectives and Risks
2. Ideal Placement of Pieces
3. Defensive Systems and Counter-Attacks
4. Ideas for Setup
5. If Enemy Camel Has Been Trapped
6. Illustrative Games

[edit] Objectives and Risks

The Elephant and Camel Attack is a powerful attack that commits the two strongest pieces to the same enemy trap. This attack is not frequently seen in practice due to the possibility of a Camel hostage situation and the unbalanced distribution of forces. However, there are select situations where this attack can be used advantageously.

Note: For simplicity, many examples below will assume that the Gold player is attacking the c6 trap. Naturally, the same theories can apply equally to attacks on all 4 traps.

Reasons to use the Elephant and Camel Attack:

• to take control of an enemy trap when the enemy Elephant is unable or unwilling to defend the trap (e.g. too far away, blockaded, pinned)
• to create a wall with two strong pieces so that a Rabbit may be advanced along the outside
• to distract the enemy Elephant from the opposite wing
• to encourage a Camel hostage if the attacker believes the Camel hostage will be disadvantageous for the defender
• to encourage a Camel hostage if the defender must lose piece(s) in order to take the hostage
• to encourage a Camel hostage in order to attempt an Elephant blockade
• to encourage a Camel hostage with the intention of swarming the trap with small pieces and releasing the attacking Elephant

Note that some of the strategic objectives above can be achieved with a Lone Camel Attack.

Without question, the largest risk associated with the Elephant and Camel Attack is the hostage risk because the defending Elephant often charges at an attacking Camel like a bull at a red cape. A position may become strategically lost position for the attacking player if the Camel is taken hostage and, therefore, advancing the Camel into enemy territory is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Summary of risks (assuming Gold attacks the c6 trap):

• the Camel may be taken hostage – this situation is covered in detail later in the chapter
• the Camel may be framed – this rarely occurs in practice and is not a disadvantage for the attacker if the Elephant is pinned to the d6 square
• the Silver Elephant may stand on c5, stopping any trap threats from Gold’s two strongest pieces without decentralizing the Silver Elephant while also allowing the Silver Camel to operate on the opposite wing
• committing the two strongest pieces to the attack will leave Gold with weakened home traps

[edit] Ideal Placement of Pieces

When attacking an enemy trap, a very effective plan is to place the Camel on b6 and the Elephant on d6. The advantages of these squares are:

• if the enemy Elephant cannot reach c5 it is usually difficult for the defender to move a weaker piece to c5, making it problematic to defend the trap – even if a piece can reach c5 it may still be in danger of being pushed towards the c3 trap
• if the Camel is taken hostage it will be safe from the f6 trap and the enemy Elephant will become decentralized
• the Camel is located as far as possible from the enemy Elephant while still maintaining a convenient escape route along the ‘a’ or ‘b’ file
• a devastating Camel fork on d6 cannot occur while the Elephant occupies the square
• if the Silver Elephant is hostage-holding on the b6 square when the Gold Elephant occupies d6, the Silver Elephant cannot easily defended the f6 trap, if required
• the defensive position becomes highly cramped

After the attacker has completely controlled the trap, the attacker may shift the Camel to the c7 square. Some players even prefer to place the Camel on c7 at the very beginning of the attack, rather than on b6; both are effective strategies with the gold Elephant on d6. From the c7 square, the Camel can repeatedly capture any piece that occupy the c8 square for goal defense. If Silver abandons the c8 square, then Gold should advance a Rabbit toward the gap, if practicable to do so. The drawback to placing a Gold Camel on c7 is that it becomes more difficult to flee if the Silver Elephant approaches c5.

Sometimes a third attacker is advanced in order to secure the trap. It is best to avoid calling up a Horse into the attack unless absolutely necessary as the Gold army will become unbalanced and the home traps may be seriously weakened and vulnerable. Often a Rabbit is advanced along the outside either to assist in a potential escape, by unfreezing the Camel, or to create a goal threat in order to prevent a scattering by the defender.

[edit] Defensive Systems and Counter-Attacks

Unless it is impossible, or it will cause a significant loss of material, the Elephant should always be used to defend the c6 trap. Furthermore, unless there is a blockade risk, it is normally advantageous to turn the attacking Camel into a hostage Camel. If the defending player still has a Camel on the board, it should be moved away from the c6 trap towards the opposite wing. There will be several counter-attacking options on the opposite wing:

• use the Silver Camel, with supporting pieces, to attack a Gold trap (without allowing a situation where the Gold Elephant can abandon the c6 trap for material gain!)
• leave the Silver Camel near e7 or f6 – this will help protect against the threat of a swarming attack on c6 by weaker Gold units (Swarming Attacks are covered in a later chapter) - while attacking f3 or c3 with dogs and horses
• leave the Silver Camel near the f6 trap while the Silver Horse(s) drag pieces toward the f6 trap – hostages on both wings will be very difficult for Gold to handle
• attempt to create a diversion, such as a goal threat, that will distract the Gold Elephant and enable the trapping of the Gold Camel

[edit] Ideas for Setup

Elephant and Camel Attacks are extremely risky and rarely occur during the opening; therefore, it is not necessary to take this attack into consideration when setting up the pieces. If either you or your opponent uses this attack in the opening, here are some guidelines: if Gold has setup the Camel on g2 and Silver wishes to begin the game with an Elephant and Camel Attack, then the f3 trap should be attacked so that the enemy Camel will not easily be shifted to the opposite wing. Against an opponent that enjoys using the Elephant and Camel attack, the Gold Camel should be placed on d1, d2, e1 or e2. Against a Gold opponent that has setup the Camel on g2 and the Elephant on e2, Silver should place the Camel on a7, b7 or c7 if he/she feels certain, for whatever reason, that the opponent will attempt an Elephant and Camel Attack on the f6 trap.

[edit] If Enemy Camel Has Been Trapped

If the Silver Camel has been removed from the board, Gold can launch an Elephant and Camel Attack against c6 with considerably reduced risk. However, the Elephant and Camel Attack is not recommended in this scenario because it is advantageous to keep the Camel away from the Elephant after the enemy Camel has been trapped. Remember that the Camel is very powerful without its counterpart on the board, and that advantage should not be relinquished by allowing an easy Camel hostage. Only use an Elephant and Camel attack if it accomplishes very important objectives that cannot otherwise be achieved.

← Lone Elephant Attacks · Elephant and Horse Attacks →