Chowka bhara

Chowka bhara is a two- or four-player board game from India.

Set up

Chowka bhara normally has a 5x5 square and four players, but one can also increase the number of squares depending on the number of players to any odd number x odd number (say 11x11). The 5x5 version looks as shown in the image - there will be four players each having four pawns. They will start from the four crossed squares at the outermost ring and each will play in turn using cowrie shells (kavade) which have two stable positions which signify 0 or 1. Depending on the number a player gets, he will move one pawn that number of squares, in an anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise) direction in the outermost ring, then clockwise in the next ring and again anti-clockwise in the inner circle (if it is there). The inner ring will have an entry from the second square from the extreme left of a player's crossed square i.e home. He must complete one circle before he may move into the next ring.

Object of the game

A player wins if he moves all of his pawns to the center square.

Rules

If a player gets 4 or 8, he can throw the kavade again and all numbers he gets can be used to move. One value got after throwing the kavade, can be used to move one pawn. In a single turn, if a player has multiple values, he can move multiple pawns.

A player must get a kadi (i.e he should kill any one pawn of another player) before he can move his first pawn into second round. Thereafter he doesn't need kadi. But, if all the 4 pawns of a player come back to home, being killed by other players, he must get kadi once again.

No two pawns of different players can stay in one square (katte). A pawn is safe if it in one of the crossed squares. If the game is being played in 7x7 or more, you can optionally have more crossed (safe) squares at regular intervals not less than 3 squares apart.

Two pawns of a player can stay together only in the inner circles. Once the two pawns are together, he can optionally make them juga i.e a pair, only after getting 2 in a turn. They should be moved together for even values only and 1 square for every 2. Competitor pawns can not move beyond this jodi unless they sit on the square at least for one turn. If the player with juga doesn't get an even value, the competitor player can move the pawn in his turn. A "juga" can not kill a pawn by moving into any square occupied by competitor pawn - the pawn will be killed only if it remains there and in next turn the player with juga will move having got even number in his turn.

References

External links