Traditional Games

Hey everyone!

Hope you’ve enjoyed racial harmony day! Everyone seemed so enthu about dressing up in traditional wear, the J2s especially. =) I would like to thank all those who came down to help out with the games. Although our board disappeared and all, I think you guys have been really supportive. Kums and I really owe it to you guys for helping us set up and for getting people to play!

After having played traditional games for the past 3 days, it seems amazing to me that our ancestors could come up with such simple yet challenging games. I am no expert at traditional games. In fact, I only got to learn these games last week. But it was definitely worth learning how to. Would just like to give some general info on the games that we set up, namely, pallaanguzhi, dhaayam and aadu puli aattam.

Pallanguzhi

This game needs two players. It is a game played mostly by girls (but guys can play too, of course). It is divided into parts with 7 holes on each side. For each hole we need 5 seeds to a total of 70 seeds for the whole game. Small seashells or assam seeds can be used as seeds for the game.

How to Play:

1. Players place 5 seeds in each of the 7 holes on their side.
2. The player has to pick all the seeds from any one of the seven holes on his side. The player then starts dropping one seed starting from the next hole until the player finishes the seeds.
3. Once the player finishes the seeds in his hands, he should pick the seeds from the next hole and continue the procedure.
4. If the player finishes the seeds and the next hole that he arrives at is empty, he must take all the seeds from the hole after the empty hole and keep them. These seeds have been won by the player. Then the player continues again.
5. When the player finishes dropping his last seed and the following two holes are empty, the next player starts his game.
6. The player who has won the most number of seeds wins the game.

Dhaayam- Indian Checkers

Game Objectives:
 To get as many of one’s own shells into the centre box as fast as possible without getting knocked out by the opponent’s shells
 To knock out the opponent’s shells

Players: 2

Shells: Each player gets six seeds to start off with

How to place the seeds on the board:
Each player will place all six of his shells on opposite cross boxes of the outermost ring.

How to Play:
1. After placing all the shells, the players will take turns to roll the dice.
2. The person who throws 2 ‘1’s or 2 ‘6’s gets to start first.
3. A player may choose to move all or some of his shells according to the number that he throws. Eg. if a player throws a 3 and 6, he gets to move either one shell for 9 squares, or 5 shells for 5 squares and 1 shells for 4 squares etc. Any possible combination is allowed.
4. The next player will start when the first player fails to throw a ‘1’ or ‘6’.
5. The next player must aim to move his shells such that they will get to land on the same square of the opponent’s. This way, he will be able to eliminate the shells of the opponent’s, unless the shells are in a crossed box.
With proper strategy, a player should aim to eliminate the shells of the opponent and get his shells into the centre box. The player with the most number of shells in the centre box wins.

Aadu Puli Aatam – The Goat and Tiger Game

This is my personal favourite!
Game:

1. The player who takes the role of the Tiger has to eat all the goats.
2. The player who takes the role of the Goat has to move his/her seeds to trap the tiger.

Players: 2

Seeds: Tiger – 3 seeds
Goats – 15 seeds

How to place the seeds on the board:
Players should take turns to place their seeds on the board. Seeds are placed at the intersection of two lines.

How to Play:

As Tigers

1. After the Tiger has placed the 3 seeds, the Tiger can start moving.
2. If the point after the Goat is empty, the Tiger can jump over and eat the Goat. The seed will then belong to the Tiger.
3. If the point next to the Goat is occupied, the Tiger cannot eat the Goat.
4. In this case, if the points surrounding the Tiger are all occupied by the Goats, then it can be said that the Tiger is trapped. The seed will then belong to the Goats.
5. If one Tiger is trapped, the player can still play on with his remaining two tigers.
6. The Tiger-player loses the game when the last Tiger is trapped by the goats.

As Goats

1. The Goat-player places three seeds first and subsequently adds the other goats when the need arises.
2. The Goat-player is not allowed to eat the tiger.
3. The Goat-player is only allowed to surround and capture the tiger.
4. If the point next to a Goat is occupied, the Goat can escape being eaten by the Tiger.
5. The Goat-player loses the game when all his Goats have been eaten up.

heqi playing aadu puli aatam.