Ximaera is a two-player game utilizing a hexagonal field of three cells wide. There are twelve playing pieces: three Pivots, three red Pips, three blue Pips and three yellow Pips.
All pieces are considered neutral and can be controlled by either player.
 
Players may, at a turn, either enter a piece onto the playing field or move a piece which is on the playing field. Pieces introduced onto the playing field must be placed on a vacant cell. Both Pivots and Pips may move on the playing field by sliding through directly adjacent empty cells. Pivots may also move by jumping an adjacent piece. Regardless of the type of move, all pieces must land upon vacant cells. There is no taking in this game.
 
No piece which is directly adjacent a Pivot may be moved, that includes fellow Pivots. A player may not move a piece which was last moved by the opponent.
 
The game is won when three of a kind become adjacent, this includes both Pivots and Pips. Such adjacency can form either a straight line, a bowed line or a triangle.
A player can also win if the opponent does not leave the opportunity of at least one move.
A player will lose the game if the same position is repeated three times.
 
 
Ximaera was designed by L. Lynn Smith. The Ximaera, pronounced with a 'k', is a fantastic fire-breathing creature formed of a lion's head, a serpent's tail and a goat's body.