Oware

Objective

The objective of Oware is to capture more seeds than your opponent. This is accomplished by strategically choosing which pits to empty in order to distribute seeds.

Setup

Oware is played on a board consisting of two rows, each with six pits. Each player controls one side of the board. At the start of the game, each pit contains four seeds, totaling 48 seeds.

Game Rules

1. Gameplay:
   The game begins with a player selecting one of their pits, taking the seeds, and distributing them clockwise into subsequent pits, avoiding any pit on the opponent's side that contains fewer than two seeds.

2. Distribution of seeds:
   The seeds taken from a pit are distributed one by one into each following pit (in a clockwise manner).
   If the last seed is sown in a pit containing 2 or 3 seeds in total, those seeds are captured and added to the player's total.
   If this action rotates completely around the board, seeds continue onto the opponent's side and vice versa.

3. End of Turn:
   A turn ends when placing the last seed does not result in a pit having 2 or 3 seeds (or when preventing the opponent from making any further moves by leaving them without seeds).

4. Special Conditions:
   If during the game, all seeds are removed from one side of the board except for the middle pit on the opponent's side, that player can continue their move. Ensure not to over-rung the opponent entirely to lead to a 'stalemate'.

5. End of the Game:
   The game ends when a player can no longer move or if only a few seeds remain that cannot be distributed.
   The winner is the player who has captured the most seeds.

Strategic Tips

• Plan Ahead: Try to arrange your moves in such a manner that forces the opponent into traps without falling prey to theirs.
• Board Control: Dominate your side of the board by ensuring the opponent cannot gather from any fatal pits on your side.
• Flexibility: As Oware often comes down to the final rounds, learn to adapt quickly to changes on the board to avoid losing the game-defining seeds.

With this information, you are now ready to play Oware and discover the strategic nuances of the game.