Pachisi: A Journey Around the Cross-Shaped Board
Pachisi is a strategic board game from ancient India, where players race their tokens around a cross-shaped track using cowrie shells or dice. Imagine Ludo’s ancestor with a more intricate board and gameplay.
Description
Pachisi is a traditional Indian game with a rich history dating back centuries. It’s a game of strategy and chance, where players skillfully navigate their tokens around a unique cross-shaped board. While similar to Ludo in its basic concept of racing tokens to the finish, Pachisi offers a more complex and dynamic gameplay experience.
How to Play:
- Number of Players: 2-4 Players (played in partnerships of two for 4 players)
- What You’ll Need:
- Pachisi board game (or a substitute like a large cloth board marked with a cross shape)
- Tokens (4 per player, in different colors)
- Cowrie shells (4 or 6) (or a die)
- Gameplay:
- Set Up the Board: Unfold the game board or prepare your designated playing area with a marked cross-shaped track. Players choose a color and take their four tokens, placing them in the designated starting area according to the game board instructions. In a 4-player game, players form partnerships with the person sitting opposite them.
- Determining Who Starts: Decide how to choose the starting player (e.g., rolling the cowrie shells or dice, with the highest score going first).
- Moving Around the Board:
- Cowrie Shells: Traditionally, pachisi uses cowrie shells for movement. The number of open shells (aperture facing up) determines how many spaces a token can move. Some variations might use colored cowrie shells for special actions.
- Dice: In some versions, a die is used instead of cowrie shells. The number rolled determines the number of spaces a token can move.
- Entering the Playing Field: Similar to Ludo, tokens can only leave the starting area based on a specific roll (often a 2, 3, or 4 with cowrie shells or a 5 or 6 with a die).
- Capturing Opponents: Landing on a space occupied by an opponent’s token (of a different color or partnership) captures that token, sending it back to its starting area.
- Safe Zones: Certain squares on the board are designated as safe zones, where other players’ tokens cannot capture yours. These can be strategically important during the game.
- The Long Path and Short Path: The pachisi board typically has two main tracks – a longer outer track and a shorter inner track that winds around the center. Players strategically decide which track to move their tokens on based on the situation.
- Reaching the Home Stretch: The goal is to get all four of your tokens into your designated home area (usually located at the arms of the central cross). Tokens can only enter the home area by rolling the exact number needed to land on the final space within your home area.
- Winning the Game: The first partnership to get all eight of their tokens (four from each player) safely into their home area wins the game!
Winning Criteria
The first partnership to get all eight of their tokens (four from each player) safely into their home area wins the game.
Estimated Playtime
30-45 Minutes or more (depending on the number of players, luck of the rolls, and strategic maneuvering)
Make it Your Own:
- House Rules (Optional): Some families implement house rules to adjust the difficulty or length of the game.
- Themed Tokens: Use small figurines or toys as tokens to add a fun theme to the game.
- Alternative Starting Rules (Optional): If finding cowrie shells is difficult, you can agree on a different way to determine who starts the game, such as always having the youngest player start or rolling a die to see who gets the highest number.
Ready to Play Pachisi?
Pachisi is a captivating game that offers a strategic challenge and a glimpse into a traditional Indian pastime. So gather your friends or family, prepare the board, and embark on a journey around the pachisi track. May the best strategists win!
Tags
Board Game, Classic Game, Strategy Game, Family Game
Similar Games:
- Sorry!: Another fast-paced board game with dice rolling, pawn movement, and bumping opponents.
- Trouble: A similar game with dice rolling, pawn movement, and capturing opponents’ tokens.
- Ludo: A derivative of pachisi with a simpler board and gameplay.