Game of the Generals

Game of the Generals—also known as GG, GOG, or simply The Generals—is a two-player educational war game invented in the Philippines by Sofronio H. Pasola Jr. in 1970. Its Filipino name is "Salpakan." A typical match lasts between twenty and thirty minutes. Each player commands an army, and a neutral Arbiter (sometimes called a Referee or Adjutant) decides the outcomes of "challenges" between pieces whose identities are hidden from the opponent.

The game simulates armies trying to overpower, mislead, outflank, outmaneuver, and destroy each other. It relies on logic, memory, and spatial reasoning. Because the identities of opposing pieces are concealed, players must guess based on movement, position, or challenge results—this mimics the "fog of war." Only one side’s plan can ultimately succeed, though players may change their strategy mid-game.

There are two ways to win. As the game progresses, certain tactics can give both players a clearer picture of the other’s intentions. Players may also speak or gesture to mislead their opponent about piece identities or overall strategy. The game shares many features with earlier games L'Attaque and Stratego.

Sofronio H. Pasola Jr. created the game with inspiration from his son Ronnie Pasola. They first tried it on a chessboard, with pieces arranged in a specific order (like a chess setup) and no spies. The original version had no spies; Ronnie added them after recalling James Bond movies and Mata Hari. The Pasolas also decided to keep pieces hidden, remembering card games.

Objectives and victory conditions

Game of the Generals was publicly released on 28 February 1973. Its release angered some Filipino chess players, who felt Pasola was denigrating chess. The goal is to eliminate or capture the opponent’s Flag, or to move one’s own Flag to the far edge of the board, under these conditions: - If challenged, the Flag is eliminated by any opposing piece, including the opposing Flag. If a player’s Flag is eliminated in a challenge, that player loses.

A Flag that challenges an opponent’s Flag wins the challenge and the game. - When a Flag reaches the opponent’s back rank, it must survive one more turn without being challenged to declare victory. If no adjacent opposing piece can challenge it, the Flag wins immediately.