|
Evidence for Choro (Acholi)
1 pieces of evidence found.
Id DLP.Evidence.710
Type Ethnography
Location Acholi
Date 1927-01-01 - 1927-12-31
Rules 4x8 board.
Two counters in each hole.
Opening play: Two players play simultaneously, lifting and sowing counters from their outer rows. Rules for sowing and capturing are the same as in the main phase of the game except that all holes in each player's outer rows are considered to be in opposition and back captures can be made from them. Once a counter has been sown into the inner row, this ceases and captures can only be made from the inner row. The opening ends when both players reach an empty hole, and the first player to do so begins play in the main phase.
Main phase: Play begins from any hole on the player's side of the board with counters in it. Singletons cannot move. Sowing happens in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last counter lands in an empty hole, the turn is over.
For capturing: Holes are in 'opposition' when one player has the front row hole occupied and the opponent has both of the holes opposite it occupied. If the last hole in a sowing is in opposition, the player takes the counters in both of the opponent's holes and places them in the empty hole from which the player lifted the counters. The player then sows the captured counters from this hole. Further captures in the sowing can occur in the same way.
However, each player has two hole from which clockwise plays can be made: the leftmost hole in the outer row and the second from the left in the inner row. Clockwise moves can only be made from these holes if they immediately lead to a capture. When the captured counters are sown, starting from the same hole, they can also be sown clockwise if they lead to a capture. If they cannot lead to a capture, they are sown anti-clockwise. Another alternative the player has is that, if the player plays clockwise from one of these holes and therefore makes a capture, the captured counters may be placed in the hole and left there, and the player may play instead from the other hole from which clockwise captures are allowed in a clockwise direction, if it leads to a capture. The player may continue playing from this hole as above until the possibilities to move are exhausted, and then may move from any hole in an anti-clockwise direction.
Multiple captures can only be made in a clockwise direction from these holes if it is made on the first sowing of the turn. Otherwise, only one clockwise capture can be made and sowing must proceed in an anti-clockwise direction.
If the last counter lands on a hole that is occupied but not in opposition, these counters are picked up and sowing continues.
Play ends when one player captures all the opponent's counters or one player cannot play. The player who cannot play loses.
Content "Acholi Variation.
This appears to be the Didinga variation modified by an adaptation of the Lango
turning base, and its essential features may be summarised as follows. It will be seen, however, that the modifications are such that the game under this code differs materially from both the Didinga and the Lango variations.
(i) As in the Didinga variation and in contrast with the Lango code, an incremented lap begins at the starting hole of the lap leading up to the increment.
(ii) The opponent's marbles are not en prise at the beginning of the move but the player has first to move some marbles in order to reach the requisite position. That is to say, none of the opponent's marbles can be taken before at least one lap has been played. This again conforms with Didinga usage.
(iii) The opponent's marbles are en pri,se only if, as in the Didinga code, both of the opponent's holes are occupied opposite an occupied hole in the player's front row in which the player drops the last marble of a lap. It is not permissable to take an inicrement if only the opponent's front row hole is occupied, as is allowable by Lango practice.
(iv) The turning base has been incorporated in a modified form:
(a) Clockwise motion is permitted only from IK and ik.
(b) As in the Lango code, clockwise motion is only permitted in order to take the opponent's marbles which are en prise.
(c) When an increment is taken the captured marbles are all placed in the hole from which the lap leading to the increment started.
(d) If the increment is taken from the first lap of a move and the captured marbles, played clockwise, suffice to take another increment, they are taken from the hole and so played: but if there is no fresh increment available they must be played counterclockwise in the usual way starting from the hole forward of the one in which they have been deposited.
(e) Alternatively the player may start the first lap in this way with a clockwise move from the turning base leading to an increment and after depositing the captured marbles in the hole from which the lap started may leave that lap entirely. He may then, if it is available, play another clockwise move from the other portion of the base and after taking the increment leave it in the same way. Having done all the execution possible by clockwise moves, he may start the move proper from that or from any other part of the board counterclockwise.
(f) The rules given under (d) and (e) apply to a clockwise motion frona the turning base at the beginning of a move only. If during the course of a move a player's marble ends at iI or kK, at which there is already one marble or more, he may, subject to an increment being available, play one lap, but only one, clockwise. After taking the increment he proceeds again counterclockwise with the captured marbles, starting at jJ or IL, as the case may be. If the move continues and he again returns to the turning base and finds other of the opponent's marbles en prise, he may similarly play one clockwise lap and continue counterclockwise as before. That is to say, apart from preliminary attacks, in each circuit of a move only one clockwise lap is permitted...The opening is played in the same way as under the Didinga code with the addition of clockwise moves from the turning base. For the purpose of the opening only, the opponent's marbles are en prise to the player's back row, as has been described in the paragraph dealing with the Didinga opening." Driberg 1927b: 188-189.
Confidence 100
Source Driberg, J. 1927b. "The Game of Choro or Pereaüni." Man 26-27:186-189.
|
