Objective of the Game
Amida-kuji is a simple and quick game of chance often used to make decisions or allocate prizes and tasks in an unbiased manner. The main objective of the game is to connect a starting point with an unexpected endpoint through a simple line diagram.
Setup
- Draw several vertical lines next to each other on a piece of paper. Each line represents a starting point (top) and an endpoint (bottom).
- Label the starting points with players’ names or numbers and the endpoints with possible results or prizes.
- Draw some horizontal lines between the vertical lines. These lines should start and end at different heights but never cross an entire column from a starting to an endpoint nor overlap.
Gameplay
- Each player selects a starting point. This should be done secretly or randomly to enhance suspense.
- A player starts by following the vertical line downwards from their chosen starting point.
- When the line encounters a horizontal line, the player follows that line to the next vertical line and then continues down.
- The path continues until the player reaches the bottom of the diagram, revealing the endpoint.
- The result associated with that endpoint is assigned to the player.
Special Features
- Strategy: As all the horizontal lines are predetermined, it is a pure game of chance with no strategic elements.
- Variety: Creating more complex connections increases the game's unpredictability.
- Social Aspect: Amida-kuji is particularly suitable for groups wishing to make small decisions or distribute tasks among each other in a fun and fair way.
Example
If four colleagues need to decide who will write the weekly report, Amida-kuji can be used to select a responsible person in a fair and random manner.
