Isolo (Zambia)
From Wikimanqala
Isolo
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|---|
| Played in: Zambia |
| Two cycles |
| Multiple lap |
| Captures are reintroduced |
| 8 holes per row |
| Two rows |
Isolo is a mancala game played in Zambia with some interesting characteristics, according to Deledicq & Popova description[1]. Although it is a two-cycle game, it is played on a two-rank board, so each player only sows the seeds on one row and when reaches the end starts again on the other end. Also, it has some features linking it to bao, as changing the place to start sowing the captured seeds depending on where they were captured, and having a stock of seeds that are introduced into the board.
Contents |
Rules
The game is played in two phases. At the beginning there are two seeds per hole, plus an undeterminated (theoretically unlimited) stock of seeds for each player.
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| Initial position |
Each player controls one row.
Foregame
The foregame is used to get a winner and then start the proper game.
Players take turns to move.
A move begins adding one seed from the stock to a non-empty pit on his row. Then the player takes all these seeds and sows them starting on the left most pit. If after reaching the right most pit there are still seeds to be sown, the sowing keeps on again from the left most pit.
The move (and capture) is played according to the rules given for the proper game with one exception. If the stock seed is added to the last but one pit (the 7th), the sowing begins on the last pit (the 8th).
The one who renders the opponent's row empty is the winner.
The proper game
The foregame loser puts two seeds on each hole on his row. The winner puts as many or as little seeds as he wants on the pits on his row. Any pit can be left empty, and any total ammount of seeds can be used. This is called kucheleka. Then the game begins, with no stock seeds.
The foregame's winner begins.
A move begins from any non empty hole on the player's row, and the seeds are sown from left to right. If after sowing on the right most hole there are still seeds to be sown, they are sown beginning from the left most hole.
If the last seed is sown into an empty hole the move is over (the player "sleeps").
If the last seed is sown into a non-empty hole in front of an empty hole the contents of the hole are taken and sown in the next ones, and so on.
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| Central pits in black, intermediate pits in white. |
If the last seed is sown into a non-empty hole facing an opponent's non-empty hole, the later's contents are captured:
- If the capture is from a central pit or a pit containing more than one seed, the captured seeds are sown beginning from the leftmost hole (if the capture was on the first lap) or the same hole where the lap began.
- If a singleton is captured from an intermediate pit also the contents of the adjacent extreme pit, and those of the own player's extreme pit in front of it are captured and sown beginning from the opposite extrem pit. The same happens if capturing a singleton from an extreme pit.
Unanswered questions
- Nothing is said about who is the proper game's winner. Probably, the one who leaves the opponent with no seed to play.
- It is not clear where does a sowing begin. Maybe all sowings start on the leftmost pit, also on the proper game, as it is during the foregame. It is not stated on Deledicq and Popova's explanation.
Footnotes
- ↑ Deledicq & Popova, pp 97-98.
References
- Deledicq, A. & Popova, A.
- (1977) Wari et Solo: Le Jeu de Calcul Africain, Paris: Cedic. ISBN 2-7124-0603-6
