Kolowisi Awithlaknannai (Fighting Snakes) is a strategic board game of the North American Zuni Indians. It was described by Stuart Kuhlen in his book Games of the North American Indians (1907). The game is a relative of checkers and alkerka . Captures of chips occur by jumping over them. It is believed that the Spaniards brought the Alkirk game to America several centuries ago, and it developed in its own way, but there is no convincing evidence for this. Moreover, the playing field is not square, as are the fields for alkerk or checkers. The length of the field significantly exceeds its width. The game is more like an alkerk than a checker, because the chips can move in any direction and there are no queens. In addition, the field consists of intersections of lines instead of squares.
Content
- 1 Goal of the game
- 2 Options
- 3 Rules of the game
- 4 References
Purpose of the game
The goal of the game is to capture the chips of another player. If this is not possible, then the player with the most chips remaining in the game becomes the winner. Another way to win is to block all the movements of another player. The player cannot skip a move.
Options
The playing field consists of three parallel horizontal lines connected by inclined diagonal lines. There are 16 intersection points on the top and bottom lines, and on the center one 17. Game chips can only go along the field lines and only along the intersection points of the lines. There is a shortened version of the playing field (top and bottom lines - 8 points, center - 9).
Each player receives 24 chips. Players play with chips of various colors.
A large field for the game "Fighting snakes"
Small field for the game "Fighting snakes"
Game Rules
- Each player places his 24 chips on the row closest to him and on the right half of the center row. Only the central point should remain free.
- Any player can start first. However, the first player must go to the center point, where he will be eaten, as captures are mandatory. Therefore, it is believed that the second player has an advantage.
- There are two types of move: with capture and without capture. In the course without taking, the chip can move along the line of the field marking to the neighboring free point. In order to capture an enemy chip, it must be jumped over, and for this there must be free space behind it to land (as in an alkerka or checkers). Captures of chips also occur according to the layout of the field. The captured chip is removed from the field. Captures are required.
- Series of captures are permitted but not required.