El Tablero de Jesús

El Tablero de Jesús: A Brief History (rules follow)

El Tablero de Jesús is a gambling game played on a 7x7 grid with two 6-sided dice and a set number of coins. It has been famously adapted into a drinking game called Tablero da Gucci, or simply Tablero, by members of the worldwide medievalist group the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).

The game was published in 1971 by Erzbergen-St, Susse Co. as The Jesus Board (El Tablero de Jesús) as printed on the box, or El Tablero de Jesús (The Jesus Board) as printed on the included rule book. The publisher claims on the box that the game is “An intriguing medieval dice game (rediscovered only recently) played by 15th Century monks until its suppression by papal edict in 1458.” The game box states that “A history of the game is inside.” but my copy has only a rule book with a footnote about the symbolism of the illustrations on the board; four representing damnation and four salvation, with the two fish in the middle being “an ancient symbol of the sacred name of Jesus”.

The game is meant to be allegorical of sin arising from greed, specifically greed manifested through gambling and extreme risk-taking for profit. There are a couple game mechanics where you can push your luck past way what a prudent person might deem wise.

El Tablero de Jesús: Rules

El Tablero de Jesús is played on a 7x7 grid with two 6-sided dice and a set number of coins.

Each player starts with a Stake of ten small coins worth 1 point each and two larger coins worth 4 points each. (The 4-point coins are just for making change between the players. Presumably both players could just as easily start with eighteen 1-point coins.)

At the top of the game both Players roll one die to see who goes first (highest roll).

The Player going first places five 1-point coins on their Baseline, which is the nearest Row (the lines of squares horizontal to the players) starting on the rightmost Column (the lines of squares perpendicular to the players). The Opponent places two coins on their Baseline starting from their right. Each Column should now have one coin in it.

The active Player rolls the dice and may now move any of the seven coins a corresponding number of squares, up or down the Columns, attempting to line them up in a continuous Row. This is known as a Formation. They may move one coin per die, OR they may combine the two dice rolls into one move in a single direction. You may not move any coin up a Column and then down again.