Game of the Generals: The Complete Guide to Salpakan
Game of the Generals is the Filipino strategy game where every piece is hidden and every attack is a gamble. Here is everything you need to start playing, online or on a real board.
Updated November 15, 2026
What is Game of the Generals?
Game of the Generals (also known as Salpakan, or simply GG; basahin sa Tagalog) is a two-player war game invented in the Philippines in 1970. It looks a little like chess, but with one big difference: you cannot see your opponent's pieces. Every piece faces its owner, so the enemy army is a wall of blank tiles.
When two pieces meet, a neutral arbiter looks at both, removes the lower rank, and tells no one what either piece was. You learn about the enemy only from what survives. That makes Game of the Generals a game of memory, bluffing and deduction as much as tactics.
The board and the pieces
The game is played on a 9 × 8 board (nine columns, eight rows). Each player has 21 pieces and places them on the three rows closest to them.
| Piece | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Star General | 1 | Highest rank. Loses only to the Spy. |
| 4-Star General | 1 | |
| 3-Star General | 1 | |
| 2-Star General | 1 | |
| 1-Star General | 1 | |
| Colonel | 1 | |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 1 | |
| Major | 1 | |
| Captain | 1 | |
| 1st Lieutenant | 1 | |
| 2nd Lieutenant | 1 | |
| Sergeant | 1 | Lowest officer. |
| Private | 6 | The only piece that eliminates the Spy. |
| Spy | 2 | Eliminates every officer, from Sergeant to 5-Star General. |
| Flag | 1 | Lose it and you lose the game. |
For exactly what each piece beats and loses to, see the Game of the Generals pieces and ranks guide. The Spy deserves special attention.
How to play Game of the Generals
1. Set up in secret
Both players arrange their 21 pieces on their first three rows, face toward themselves. There are 27 squares in that zone, so six stay empty. Your setup is your plan: where the flag hides, where the generals wait, where the spies lurk. See the best Game of the Generals setups for formations with diagrams.
2. Move one square at a time
Players take turns moving one piece one square forward, backward or sideways. Pieces never move diagonally and never jump.
3. Challenge
Moving onto a square held by an enemy piece is a challenge. The arbiter compares the two ranks:
- The higher rank wins and the lower rank is removed.
- Equal ranks eliminate each other.
- The Spy eliminates every officer, but a Private eliminates the Spy.
- Any piece captures the Flag. If two flags meet, the one that moved wins.
Neither player is told the ranks involved. You only see which piece is gone. See the full Game of the Generals rules for an interactive challenge table.
How to win
There are two ways to win Game of the Generals:
- Capture the enemy flag with any of your pieces.
- Bring your own flag to the far row. If no enemy piece stands next to it when it arrives, you win at once. If an enemy piece is beside it, your flag must survive your opponent's next move.
A game can also end by resignation, by agreement to a draw, or, online, when a player runs out of time.
Playing Game of the Generals online
On a physical board you need a third person to act as arbiter, which is the main reason the game is hard to play casually. Playing Game of the Generals online removes that problem: the server is the arbiter, so ranks stay hidden and every challenge is settled instantly and fairly.
On Fogrank you can:
- Find an opponent in seconds with quick match, or invite a friend with a link.
- Practice against the computer without an account.
- Drag and drop your setup, or auto-place and shuffle until you like it.
- Play with a 10-minute clock each, on your phone or computer.
Frequently asked questions
What is Game of the Generals?
Game of the Generals, also called Salpakan or GG, is a two-player strategy board game from the Philippines. Each player secretly arranges 21 ranked military pieces. When two pieces meet, a neutral arbiter removes the lower rank without revealing either piece. You win by capturing the enemy flag or by getting your own flag to the far side.
Who invented Game of the Generals?
It was invented in the Philippines by Sofronio H. Pasola Jr. in 1970.
How many pieces are in Game of the Generals?
Each player has 21 pieces: five generals (1 to 5 stars), a colonel, a lieutenant colonel, a major, a captain, a first lieutenant, a second lieutenant, a sergeant, six privates, two spies and one flag.
What beats the Spy in Game of the Generals?
Only a Private can eliminate the Spy. The Spy eliminates every officer from Sergeant up to the 5-Star General.
Why does Game of the Generals need an arbiter?
Neither player may see the other's ranks, so a third person compares the two pieces in every challenge and removes the loser. Online, the server is the arbiter, so you can play without a third person.
Can I play Game of the Generals online for free?
Yes. On Fogrank you can play Game of the Generals online against real people or practice against the computer for free, in your browser, with no download.