What are Japanese checkers, and how to play them

For fans of board games, such fun as chess, backgammon, dominoes, monopoly and many others will not be alien. About the checkers, if not played, then everyone heard. But, do you know what the Japanese version of this game is, and how does it differ from the usual one? It is possible that no. Let's understand, and after even, perhaps, play in them!

Japanese checkers are ...

A logical board game designed for two people and assuming a sequential sequential swap of chips over a rectangular field with markings in a black and white cell in order to surround as much space as possible - this is, as they are also called, checkers. By their complexity, they are not inferior to chess, because it is also necessary to think through the moves in advance, otherwise the game may fail, and are considered one of the most difficult games in the world.

To date, they play more than 50 million people. They are very popular in eastern countries, among Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, where Japanese drafts are considered a special kind of sport. With their help develops logical thinking and the ability to systematize information. In addition, with the help of images that are formed during the game, people have a tendency to philosophy. Maybe that's why there are quite a few computer alternatives to "hand talk" (as they are called by the Chinese), and if they are available, they are not very productive.

History

What does the term "Japanese checkers" mean? The name of the game consists of two characters: the first means the word "fence", and the second - Go - means the figures themselves.

Despite the fact that the game has such a name, it originated in ancient China about 2,5 thousand years ago. Perhaps readers will have a fairly fair question about what caused such an unfair attitude to Chinese culture. The answer is very simple: to the European continent this game came from Japan, where local craftsmen explained to Western travelers all its subtleties.

In the 7th century the game came to Japan, and in the XVth it gained great popularity in the eastern part of the world. One of the Chinese legends says that Emperor Yao designed it for his foolish son to develop his concentration abilities and his mind, but there is no documentary evidence for this.

The first textbook with the rules of playing Japanese checkers in Europe was published by the engineer Corchelt in Germany at the very beginning of the 20th century.

Attributes

Before you start the gameplay in Japanese checkers, you need to make sure that all the inventory is present, namely: the hoban, chips and bowls. The first term refers to a special wooden board of rectangular shape with lines drawn along the vertical and horizontal lines forming the cells. The number of lines can be any, however, the parameters 19x19 are welcomed. The very same board is non-square in order to provide players with a good angle of view on the field.

The chips (stones) in the amount of 361 pieces should be of a contrasting color, so that visually they differ better among themselves. This is usually a black and white version, but other colors are also possible. Depending on the preferences of the players, they are made of different materials, starting with wood and ending with precious metals.

Bowls with lids serve to store chips. In one of the halves of this vessel are placed the figurines won.

The basic rules of the game in Japanese checkers

The goal of the fight is to surround the square as quickly as possible so that you have more of it than the enemy. Usually black stones go first, and after them - turn white. This cycle is repeated throughout the game. The chip is placed on the intersection of the lines, provided that it has a handicap - an unoccupied place at any of the neighboring points. If the figure is surrounded by enemy forces and has nowhere to go, then the opponent has every right to take it from the battlefield. You can skip the turn by saying "pass", however, if you have already touched the chip, you must definitely move it - these are the rules of Go.

In the case when one player changes his chips twice in a row without waiting for the turn or pass of the opponent, he loses. The winner is determined by counting the captured stones and cells surrounded by his figures.