Equipment
The "board" is formed by a circular line of shells, typically sixty-four in number. Each player (or team) has nine identical playing pieces, which are usually old coins. In any case, the playing pieces have to be stackable.Basic Gameplay
The first player to move all nine coins from the beginning of the board to the end is the winner. The shells are formed into a clockwise''Pa ra'' or Snake eyes
The only dice roll which has a special significance in the basic game is (1,1) which is called ''pa ra'' in Tibetan. This entitles the player to roll the dice again before they move and then choose from a selection of move values. For example, if the player rolls (1,1)=2 then (5,3)=8, the player has a choice of moving 2, 8, or 10 (=the sum of 2 and 8). Furthermore, if one of the two dice roll values (not the sum, so here either 2 or 8) is chosen and this leads to a kill or stack, the player then ''carries over'' the unused value to their subsequent roll. And so on if this also lead to a kill or stack. In this way, moves above the usual maximum roll of (6,6)=12 become possible. For example: # The player rolls (1,1) and then rolls again, the dice show (5,6). The choice of moves is therefore 2, 11 or 13. # A move of 2 enables the player to kill an opponent's stack, so the player can roll again, the dice show (3,4)=7 # The unused roll of 11 is carried forward, so the player now a choice of move: 11, 7 or (11+7=)18. # A move of 11 enables the player to stack, so they move 11 and now they can roll again, the dice show (2,3)=5. # The unused roll of 7 is carried forward, so the player has a choice of move: 7, 5 or (7+5=)12. # The player chooses to move one of their stacks 12 spaces into a vacant space. The move is now over and play passes to the next player.Special Rules
These variants and others can be found among sho players with their personal and traditional preferences: * No niner-stack: In this variant, it is forbidden to build a stack of all nine coins. So players have to bring at least often-observed effect that the first player to create a stack of nine then charges on to inevitably win the game. * Six-Three: Where niner-stacks are allowed, this rule says that if a player has all their pieces killed during the game and once again has all nine pieces in their hand at the start of the board, then in this situation a dice roll of (6,3) allows them to bring all nine pieces as one stack into the ninth position, ''as long as this position is vacant''. * After killing the last stack of an opposing player, which means that opposing player now has all their coins back at the start, the player who kills does not roll again. Instead, their turn ends. * The flexible pa ra variant: Upon rolling a pa ra (1,1), the dice are rolled again and the ''total dice count'' is taken and split flexibly between two stacks. So, if the player rolls (1,1) followed by (5,6), this gives a dice count total of 13. The player can move a first choice of stack ''any'' number of spaces (including 1 space - normally not available from a dice roll). For example, the player chooses to move one stack 4 spaces. Then a second stack can be moved (13-4=) 9 spaces. If this second move results in a stack or kill, the player rolls again, as usual. * When a stack reaches the end of the board, the unused dice count can be used to move a second stack. So if one stack is 5 shells from the board finish and the player rolls 11, the player moves the finishing stack 5 spaces to the end and then chooses a second stack which he moves (11-5=) 6 spaces.Gambling
The game is often the focus of gambling. The most simple versions involves a fixed stake per game, which each player pays by placing the bank notes under the dice pad. The winner takes the combined stakes.References
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