Kiri-ai: The Duel

A very efficient little game once you get the rules down.

This 16 card game represents a fight between two samurai on a cliff. One card is the battle field, a series of pips along the center with either short or long sets (flip side). Each player has a samurai card which shows their stance (Heaven or Earth), if they are injured (on the flip side) and you place this at an angle on a pip to show where you are standing.   

On a turn each player will play two cards and then take back the second one, leaving the other card as "exhausted" for the next round. Repeat until one or both samurai take two hits. Movement always happens first, followed by attacks which can only succeed depending on your stance. Heaven hits 2 pips away, Earth hits 1 pip away. Both have a stab that hits right beside you.

There are also 3 special "one shot" move cards which get randomly assigned to each player each match, with the extra sitting out face down. Two dual hitters and a counter attack (you hit me, but not really - I hit you!). Excellent card quality and container which is an old style Japanese coin purse that you just tie with a string which oozes theme. The rules and imagery might take a bit of getting used to but otherwise its very cool, easy to setup and put away AND is very affordable. Highly recommended!