Dan Kelly very kindly sent me this picture of the board design, which is excellent!

In this section you'll find

1. how to make a board for yourself
2. the rules of Kensington
3. my own notation system (the Tragsnart! system)
4. strategy and tips, using the notation system

Kensington is like Nine Mens Morris in that you start by putting your pieces on the board, then sliding them from point to point to make shapes. As you can see, the board is made of a pattern of squares and triangles linked up to form hexagons. To win you have to occupy the six points on a hexagon. If you make a triangle, you can move an opponents piece to any other point on the board. If you make a square, you can move two. If you make a triangle/square (like a house shape), you can also move two. 

Making these "mover" shapes is important in messing up your opponent, but also in clearing the places you need to occupy for your winning hexagon. You each have fifteen pieces, so you have to balance blocking your opponent, making shapes and making your hexagon. 

New players get so caught up in making the mover shapes, they forget to build their hexagon. But, while you move your pieces around to complete your hexagon, your opponent makes a triangle, picks out a vital piece and plonks it elsewhere.

The Red player has 15 red pieces, the Blue player has 15 blue pieces. Place the board between the players, with the red hexagons facing the Red player. Players start with their pieces off the board.In Phase 1,either player may start and the players take turns to place their own counters on the empty corner points of any triangle, square or hexagon. Do not slide pieces around until Phase 2.Phase 2 starts when all 30 pieces are on the board. The players continue by sliding pieces along the lines to neighbouring, vacant points.

• A piece can only be placed on a corner point, not along on a line.
• Pieces do not jump over each other, nor can two pieces occupy the same point. If a piece is blocked in, it can't be moved until a neighbouring point becomes vacant.
• If, by occupying a point, a player takes control of all three points of a triangle, the player can reposition ONE of its opponent's pieces from the point it is on to any other unoccupied point on the board. (NB You can do this in Phase 1, as the pieces are being placed on the board).
• If, by occupying a point, a player takes control of all four points of a square, the player can reposition TWO of its opponent's pieces from the points they are on to any other two unoccupied points on the board.
• If, by occupying a point on a square, a player simultaneously takes control of both a square and a triangle combination (a 'house' shape), the player can only reposition TWO of its opponent's pieces from the points they are on to any other two unoccupied points on the board.
• The first player to take control all six points of a white hexagon, or a hexagon of their own colour, wins!
• If a player cannot make a legal move, they pass and their opponent continues. (I can't see how you couldn't make a move though).
• Both players have to agree a draw.
• Optional Rule: It is not permitted for a player to rebuild a triangle, square or 'house' until two turns have passed. (I always play this rule. It gets too easy to devastate your opponent otherwise.)
• Four players can play as two teams, with eight pieces each.
• Handicapping; If you are playing against a weaker opponent (eg an adult against a child), you can handicap yourself by giving your opponent one or more pieces to begin with, or give yourself less than 15.