Who is Erling?

Erling is the unstoppable minotaur of the Titan level. He is one of the toys in the Attic, and you play chess against him on a screen. He knows only one direction: straight ahead. His pieces charge into your half of the board as fast as they can. He rarely finds time to castle, so his king stays home alone while his pieces run off. You can make a plan, and that is how you tame him.

Game or Battle?

You can play Erling in two ways:

• A Game has three helpers: a hint, an undo, and a reroll. The reroll makes Erling take his move back and try a different one.
• A Battle has no helpers at all.
• Only a Battle counts for the sticker.

If you want to see his charge first, play a Game, and then play a Battle.

Let the storm blow past

His attack rushes at you like a storm, but you do not have to race him. Instead, play your own way, like this:

• Castle early, before his pieces arrive, and then keep your king behind its pawns.
• Let his pieces run too far, because pieces that run ahead have nobody guarding them.
• If he gives up a piece to break through, say yes please and take it.
• Trade pieces whenever you can, and every trade leaves him with one attacker fewer.

When his attack is over, you have more pieces left than he does. Then go after his king.

Play all the way

Erling never gives up, and there is no clock, so there is only one way to win: checkmate. Erling says yes to a draw when he is losing, but a draw is not a win. So never offer him one, and play on until his king has no way out.

How you get the sticker

Beat Erling in a Battle, and he gives you his mascot button. The button goes in his slot on your shelf in the Attic. The button proves you beat him. Show it to your grown-up or coach. They hand you the sticker for your passport. White or Black, both count. If his charge won this time, it was still a good game. You can have a rematch as often as you like.