Conga (board game)

Infobox_Game
subject_name= Conga
image_link=
image_caption= Conga board with the initial game setting
players=2
ages= 8+
setup_time= None
playing_time= unknown
random_chance= None
skills= Strategy, Observation

Conga is a strategic board game for two players.

The game was invented by Martin Franke in 1995 while he was a student of design in Germany and was published in his Diplom thesis in 1996.

Conga is a member of the Mancala family of games, an abstract strategy game and a game with perfect information.

Conga equipment

* Conga board with 4x4 cavities
* 10 white or light-colored stones
* 10 black or dark-colored stones

Rules

Ten stones are placed in one of the corners of the board and ten stones of the other color in the opposite corner.

Black moves first, takes all stones and places them in horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction, with an ascending number of stones in the cavities.

That means, one stone is placed in the first cavity, two in the second and the rest of the stones in the last cavity. Any cavities occupied by the opponent restrict the placement of the stones, which are then placed in the last unoccupied cavity.

If only one cavity is unoccupied, all stones are moved.

The goal of the game is to get an equal number of stones in four cavities in a row. The row can be of horizontal, vertical or diagonal direction and may contain cavities with stones of the opponent.

If a player cannot move any stones, because all possible moves are blocked by the opponent's stones, he or she loses the game.

Conceptual design

The game has been specifically developed to have many possible variations with board sizes of 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, ...