Chowka Bara

The throw

On your turn, throw the four cowries. Shells landing mouth up count one each — so 1, 2, 3 or 4 — and all four mouths down counts 8. A throw of 4 or 8 earns another throw after you move. If nothing of yours can use the number, the throw is lost and the turn passes.

The race

Your pieces start on your own edge and run the outer ring the long way round, then turn inward and spiral to the centre. The centre needs an exact throw. First player with all four pieces home wins.

Cutting

Land on a square holding a rival’s piece and you cut it: it walks all the way back to its start. A cut earns you another throw — and until you have cut at least once, your pieces may not turn inward; they wait on the outer ring.

The five crossed squares are sanctuaries. Nothing is ever cut there, and anyone may share them.

Doubles — gatti

March two of your pieces onto the same ordinary square and they bind. A lone rival can neither cut the pair nor pass over it — it is a wall until it moves. Only an equal or larger stack can take it, and then both pieces walk home.

The pair moves together only on an even throw — 2, 4 or 8 — at half its value: a 4 carries the pair two squares. On any throw you may instead peel one piece off and move it alone, the full count.

The rare draw

If a position arises where nobody can move on any possible throw, now or ever, the game is a draw. It is rare, but it is real — the board will tell you.