Objective of the Game
Sungka is a traditional, strategic board game from the Philippines, based on the Mancala type of games. The objective is to collect more shells than the opponent.
Game Materials
- A Sungka board: A board with 14 pits, with 7 on each player's side. The end pit on each side is larger and called the *home base*.
- Shells or stones as the playing pieces, 7 per small pit at the beginning.
Number of Players
- Two players.
Basic Rules
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Game Setup: Each player places 7 shells in each of the 6 small pits on their side of the board. The home bases start empty.
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Starting the Game: A player selects one of the 6 pits on their side to start spreading shells. Players can only choose their own pits.
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Distribution: The player takes all shells from the chosen pit and distributes them clockwise, one by one, into each subsequent pit, including their own home base but skipping the opponent's home base.
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Continuing the Play: The game continues until one player's regular pits are empty.
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Capture Rule: If the last shell lands in an empty pit on the player's own side and the opposite pit contains shells, the player captures all the shells in the opposite pit and the last shell.
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Repeteated Turn: If the last shell lands in the player's home base, the player gets another turn.
End of the Game
- The game ends when a player cannot make a move because all their pits are empty.
- Each player counts the shells in their remaining pits as part of their final score.
- The winner is the player with the most shells in their home base.
Strategies
- Planning Ahead: Consider how many moves you can plan in advance to maximize filling your home base.
- Sacrificial Moves: Sometimes it may be beneficial to allow the opponent to gather shells to them for setting up a larger capture.
- Control Maintenance: Try to leave the opponent with limited move options, while keeping your own options open.
