CategoryBoard, War, Replacement, Checkmate, Chaturanga
Description
Shatren is a capturing game similar to other games that are derived from Chaturanga. It was played in Colombo, typically by Tamil and other Indian residents of the city, but not in the villages throughout the island.
Rules
8x8 checkered board. Pieces move according to specialized moves, as follows: Piyatha (x8): can move one space forward, and one space forward diagonally to capture. When they reach the final rank, they may be promoted to the piece belonging to that rank, as long as it has already been captured by the opponent; Rukh (castle), (x2): can move any number of spaces orthogonally; Fil (elephant), (x2): can move any number of spaces diagonally; Ghoda (horse), (2): moves in any direction, one space orthogonally with one space forward diagonally; Farthir (x1): can move any number of spaces orthogonally or diagonally; Shah (x1): can move one space orthogonally or diagonally, and can also move like the horse if it has not yet been checked. The pieces are arranged as in Chess. Players capture pieces by moving onto a space occupied by an opponent's piece. When a player can capture the opponent's Shah on the next turn, the Shah is in Check, the opponent's next move must free the Shah from Check. If the opponent cannot, it is Checkmate and the player wins. Stalemate is allowed.
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