Penjelasan: Galah panjang adalah sejenis permainan tradisional yang dimainkan di atas gelanggang yang dilakar di atas tanah kosong. Gelanggang yang dibuat mengandungi 2 lajur dan beberapa baris bergantung kepada bilangan pemain. Gelanggang galah panjang dibuat mengikut bilangan pemain yang bermain galah panjang. Contohnya jika pemain ada 10 orang, gelanggang yang dibuat mengandungi 4 baris. Jika bilangan pemain sebanyak lapan orang, gelanggang galah pnjang mengandungi 3 baris. Permainan ini melibatkan kepakaran seorang ketua atau ibu untuk mengawal gerakan anak buah bagi pihak yang mengawal gelanggang. Manakala kecekapan dan kepantasan teruji kepada pihak yang menempuh gelanggang. Jika pihak menempuh gelanggang mempunyai kebijaksanaan menempuh gelanggang, maka mereka boleh menang dengan mudah.
Cara Bermain
Cara permainan galah panjang tidaklah sesukar mana tapi ia dapat menguji kepintaran, kecekapan dan kepantansan setiap pemain.
Gelanggang galah panjang di lakar diatas tanah yang lapang. Panjang dan lebar bergantung kepada pelukis garisan dan bilangan pemain. Selalunya satu petak galah panjang berukuran lebih kurang 2 meter x 1.5 meter.
Selepas pemilihan dilakukan, setiap kumpulan akan melakukan pemilihan ketua. Ketua dari kedua-dua kumpulan akan mengundi siapa yang menjaga gelanggan dan siapa yang menempuh gelanggang.
Selepas penentuan, kumpulan yang menjaga gelanggang akan menjaga gelanggang dengan berpijak diatas garisan yang dilukis tadi. Ketua akan menjaga garisan tengah dan bebas pergi kemana-mana garisan depan atau belakang.
Kumpulan menempuh gelanggang akan berkumpul di depan, seterusnya ketua akan menyapakan tanganya dengan ketua pihak lawan. Seterusnya merka belari masuk ke dalam gelanggang.
Penjaga akan mejaga kawasannya agar pihak penempuh tidak melepasi garisan yang dijaganya.
Penempuh akan menempuh sampai melepasi garisan paling akhir tanpa disentuh oleh penjaga gelanggang dan kemudiannya berpatah balik.
Kemenangan tercapai apabila orang yang telah melepasi garisan paling akhir melepasi garisan permulaan. Dan permainan diteruskan sehingga ada pemain yang ingin berhenti.
Syarat
Jika penjaga gelanggang dapat menyentuh anak buah, maka anak buah akan mati atau tamat gilirannya bermain dan dikehendaki keluar gelanggang.
Jika penjaga gelanggang menyentuh ketua, maka seluruh ahli penempuh akan tamat giliran dan akan bertukar giliran antara penjaga dan penempuh.
Penjelasan: Teng-teng atau juga dikenali sebagai Ketinting merupakan sejenis permainan tradisi kanak-kanak. Ia dimainkan oleh lelaki dan perempuan, sungguhpun ia lebih disukai oleh kanak-kanak perempuan daripada daripada kanak-kanak lelaki ini kerana permainan ini lembut dan sesuai untuk kaum Hawa.
Di kampung-kampung, gelanggang dibuat dengan dengan menuliskan garisan di atas tanah sahaja dengan menggunakan hujung ranting.
Sebelum permainan dimulakan, undian dijalankan bagi menentukan pemain yang mana harus memulakan permainan terlebih dahulu. Lai lai li tam plong adalah kaedah bagi menentukan pemain pertama, kedua, ketiga dan seterusnya.
Pemain dikehendaki melompat kedalam kesemua petak dengan sebelah kaki, kecuali di petak sembilan dengan kedua belah kaki. Tetapi bagi pemain yang baru sahaja memulakan permainan di mana gundu berada di petak pertama, maka pemain hendaklah melompat terus ke petak ketiga, tanpa memijak di petak kedua. Begitu juga dengan lompatan disetiap petak, seandainya pemain terpijak garisan ia dianggap mati dan giliran pemain lain mengambil alih permainan.
Pemain hendaklah melompat kedalam semua petak dengan menggunakan sebelah kaki, kecuali di petak dua dan kesembilan dengan dua belah kaki. Setiap pemain tidak boleh memijak petak yang mempunyai gundu yang telah dicampak.
Sebelum pemain membina rumah, acara timbang hendaklah dilakukan terlebih dahulu. Untuk mendapatkan rumah, pemain dengan berdiri membelakangkan kesemua petak di garisan permulaan dan mencampakkan ke dalam mana-mana petak gelanggang dan disitulah kedudukan rumahnya. Sekiranya gundu jatuh terkena gaisan atau terkeluar maka ia dikira mati. Setiap pemain hendaklah memijak dengan kedua belah kaki di petak rumah dan pemain lain tidak dibenarkan berbuat demikian. Sekiranya pemain lain memijaknya atau tuan rumah lupa memijak dengan kedua belah kakinya ia dikira mati.
Batu Seremban juga dikenali sebagai permainan Selambut atau Serembat. Kanak-kanak perempuan gemar memainkannya secara individu dan kebiasaannya dimainkan secara berkumpulan seramai dua hingga empat orang atau lebih.
Guli kaca, biji getah, ketulan batu kerikil sederhana besar atau ketulan-ketulan objek lain berbentuk bulat biasanya digunakan oleh kanak-kanak dalam permainan ini sebanyak lima biji. Objek-objek ini dikenali sebagai buah.
Permainan ini sering dimainkan diwaktu lapang, di serambi rumah, di dalam rumah atau dimana sahaja yang mereka gemari dengan memerlukan permukaan yang rata dan bersih. Para pemain hendaklah duduk di atas lantai, dengan cara begini memudahkan permainan tersebut dimainkan.
Menentukan Giliran
Sebelum permainan dimulakan, seorang demi seorang pemain dikehendaki menimbang buah, bagi mendapatkan mata sebagai penentuan siapa yang akan bermain dahulu sebagai pemain pertama, kedua, ketiga dan seterusnya. Cara menimbang buah adalah dengan kesemua buah diletakkan di atas tapak tangan dan dilambung keudara, kemudiannya hendaklah disambut pula dengan belakang tapak tangan. Jumlah buah yang dapat disambut itu adalah dikira sebagai mata.
Cara Main
Dalam bermain Batu Seremban ini terdapat beberapa peringkat atau cara sambutan buah yang berlainan. Bermula dengan peringkat pertama yang mudah dengan menggunakan sebiji buah yang dinamakan sebagai buah satu hinggalah kepada peringkat lebih tinggi atau peringkat yang teratas dinamakan buah tujuh.
Buah Satu
Kesemua buah hendaklah diselerakkan dengan cara menabur di atas lantai, berkeadaan buah-buah itu tidak bersentuhan antara satu dengan yang lain. Sebiji buah diambil untuk dijadikan ibu, dan ibu hendaklah dilambungkan keudara, dalam masa yang sama sementara buah ibu masih berada diudara, sebiji lagi buah hendaklah dikutip. Dalam masa yang sama pemain hendaklah menyambut buah ibu, apabila telah disambut sebiji buah hendaklah digenggam di dalam tangan yang sebelah lagi. Perlakuan begini dibuat berterusan sehingga kesemua buah di atas lantai itu habis dilambung dan disambut.
Buah Dua
Cara buah dua dimainkan adalah serupa seperti buah satu, tetapi buah yang dikutip mestilah dengan dua biji serentak, ini bermakna hanya dua kali lambungan buah ibu dilakukan.
Buah Tiga
Buah tiga pula terdapat sedikit perbezaan. Langkah pertama adalah dengan mengutip sebiji buah dahulu, pada lambungan kali kedua pemain hendaklah mengutip tiga biji buah serentak.
Buah Empat
Pemain mengutip kesemua empat biji buah di atas lantai dan dalam masa yang sama hendaklah menyambut buah ibu yang telah dilambungkan.
Buah Lima
Diperingkat ini urutan dari memainkan buah empat, sementara di dalam tangan tergenggam lima biji buah, sebiji dari buah hendaklah dilambungkan dan empat biji buah baki hendaklah diletakkan di atas lantai pula serta menyambut buah ibu sahaja.
Buah Enam
Ditahap buah enam terdapat perbezaan, ianya juga dinamakan buah tukar dimana dua biji buah dijadikan buah ibu. Apabila sebiji daripadanya dilambungkan ke udara maka sebiji lagi buah ibu itu hendaklah ditukarkan dengan buah lain yang terdapat di atas lantai, sehingga selesai.
Buah Tujuh
Buah tujuh adalah urutan dari peringkat permainan buah enam. Dua biji buah yang masih berada di dalam tangan hendaklah dilambungkan serantak. Sementera itu sebiji buah hendaklah dikutip. Buah ibu hendaklah disambut dengan kedua belah tangan, sebiji disebelah kanan dan sebiji lagi disebelah kiri. Pada buah ibu yang terakhir dilambungkah hendaklah juga disambut.
Menimbang
Setelah selesai kesemua peringkat dilalui, pemain hendaklah menimbang buah untuk mendapatkan mata. Menimbang buah diperingkat ini ada dua kaedah. Cara pertama sama seperti permulaan menentukan pemain, mata dikira hanya mengikut bilangan biji buah yang dapat ditimbang. Tetapi jika buah yang ditimbang itu disambut dengan cara mencangkuk, maka mata dikira sekali ganda dari jumlah biji buah yang dapat disambutnya.
Sekiranya pemain dapat bermain sehingga keperingkat menimbang dengan memperolehi mata, maka pemain tersebut boleh meneruskan permainan semula, buah satu dan seterusnya sehingga mati.
Mati Permainan
Sekiranya ibu tidak dapat disambut atau semasa mengutip buah di atas lantai tangan mengenai biji buah yang lain atau tidak dapat mengutip buah sehingga ibu jatuh atau semasa menimbang buah dan pemain tidak dapat walau sebiji buah ianya dikira mati (permainan ditamatkan) dan permainan akan diserahkan kepada pemain seterusnya.
The Chinese yo-yo is a toy from China consisting of two equally-sized discs connected with a long axle. The Chinese yo-yo is kept spinning on a string tied to two sticks at its ends. Each stick is held in one hand. In modern times, it is used as a children's toy and as a performance tool in juggling and sometimes in Chinese ethnic dance. It is possible to perform a large variety of tricks with the Chinese yo-yo which can be as easy as throwing the yo-yo up into the air or tossing it around the user's back. It was found during the Ming dynasty; roughly 1386-1644.
Like the Western yo-yo, it maintains its spinning motion through a gyroscopic effect based on conservation of angular momentum.
Design
Chinese yo-yos were traditionally made of bamboo, which was very easy to break and not convenient for complicated tricks. Modern models, however, are now made of plastic for added durability. The sticks used with the yo-yo continue to be made of wood.
Some Chinese yo-yos have grooves inset in the rim of the discs; these grooves cause them to make a whistling sound when spinning at high speeds. The sound allows the performer to gauge his speed and adjust the yo-yo accordingly.
The Chinese yo-yo has been adapted in Western countries as the diabolo. The Chinese yo-yo differs from the diabolo in two primary ways. First, the axle of the Chinese yo-yo is much longer than that of the diabolo. Also, the Chinese yo-yo has wheel-shaped discs, whereas the diabolo consists of two bell-shapes. The Chinese yoyo is also typically grooved and made of hard plastic, while diabolos are not grooved and usually made of a durable rubber material. For a comparison, see a picture of a Chinese yo-yo here and a picture of a diabolo here.
Single-bell Chinese Yoyo
A recent variation on the Chinese yo-yo is called the single-bell Chinese yo-yo. The yo-yo consists of only one bell, and creates an uneven weight distribution. This makes a wider variety of tricks possible, including spinning the yo-yo as a top on the floor and recapturing it.
響簧 xiǎng huáng (a name given as if it's a sound instrument)
(抖)空竹 dǒu kōng zhú ((shaking) Empty Bamboo)
Tricks
There are many different ways to accelerate the yo-yo. The simplest way to accelerate your yo-yo is to move both sticks up and down; this is known as open string drive . To speed the yo-yo up faster you will go into what is called closed string drive; in order to do this, you need to wrap the string around the yo-yo once. For beginners, to get into closed string drive put the yo-yo on the floor and have the string spread out under it. Now take the right stick and move it counter clockwise, lift up the yo-yo and move the string under it. Also note that when the yo-yo is running in the middle of the string, it will be called standard position.
Different tricks require the performer to be in different modes, closed string drive or open string drive. There are only two tricks in the closed string drive, one of which is accelerating. An (O) will represent open string drive to do the trick and a (C) will represent that you will need to be in closed string drive, while (X) will require crossed strings.
Alternative defination of Chinese Yoyo
Another toy named the Chinese yo-yo consists of a short stick with a long coil of paper wrapped tightly around one end. Typically the whole device is about 12" long with 4-6" of paper. With a light flick of the wrist, the coil of paper extends out for several feet in the direction of the flick. As the device is moved upright, the coil retracts back to the stick. This is not similar at all to the other Chinese yo yo. This is also known as a paper laser. Another way to accelerate is to keep your left wrist taut (if you're right handed) and bounce your right arm like you're hitting a drum softly several times.
Defination: Wau or Kite in Malay is a uniquely designed Malaysian kite that has flown since times past. It is called 'Wau' because the shape of its wing is similar to an Arabic letter (pronounced "wow"). It is a marvelous tradition inherent to the culture of the people, especially in the Eastern States of the Malayan Peninsula. Today, the kite is still widely found in the traditionally rich states of Kelantan and Terengganu, especially during harvest time.One legend says that farmers used kites as a kind of flying scarecrows in the fields. The sound made by the kites lulled their children to sleep, so they could work with little interruption. Another popular belief is that coastal inhabitants once employed fishing kites made from palm leaves and fitted with a line and hook to catch fish.
There are varying regional styles of kite making and designs. In making a wau, bamboo is used for the frame.The bamboo is split and soaked in mud for two
The type of Wau
Wau Bulan (Crescent Kite)
Named because of its famous crescent-shaped tailpiece, this kite usually has a 2.5 metres wing span and height measuring up to 3.5 metres. This Light and versatile wau bulan is the favorite for competitions and are made from bamboo and paper. For a winning kite, a special bamboo, pokok buloh duri, is used. In a windy day, a wau bulan can reach a height of more than 450 metres. Malaysian Airline System has chosen it as its logo, to symbolise controlled flight.
Wau Sobek
Mostly used for decorations in many East Coast homes, uses bamboo and cloth. Cloth is used, as it has a nice texture and appearance but is simply too heavy to fly.
Video
Pertandingan wau Kg Kubang Palas
weeks. This prevents the bamboo from being attacked by weevils as well as makes it more flexible.The bamboo splits are made into a complex but lightweight frame, tested with one layer of paper and making alterations accordingly to make sure the kite is structurally sound. Next, the patterns are meticulously cut from rice-paper and glued on piece by piece to form intricate
motifs.
Apart from the performance and appearance of the Malay kite, the sound is considered important as well. The sound created or dengung as it is called, depends on the force of the wind. The higher the kite flies and the faster the wind, the higher the pitch, making the sound ... w-a-u-u-u,w-a-u-u-u. There are various types of wau such as wau kuching (cat kite), wau merak (peacock kite), and wau bulan (moon kite). Each wau also comes with a different design and size.
Arm wrestling is a sport with two participants. Each participant places one arm, both put either the right or left, on a surface, with their elbows bent and touching the surface, and they grip each other's hand. The goal is to pin the other's arm onto the surface, with the winner's arm over the loser's arm.
Description:
Various factors can play a part in one's success in arm wrestling. Technique and overall arm strength are the two greatest contributing factors to winning an arm wrestling match. Other factors such as the length of an arm wrestler's arm, his/her muscle and arm mass/density, hand grip size, wrist endurance and flexibility, reaction time, as well as countless other traits, can add to the advantages of one arm wrestler over another. It is sometimes used to prove who is stronger between two or more people. In competitive arm wrestling, as sanctioned by the United States Armwrestling Federation (USAF), arm wrestling is performed with both competitors standing up with their arms placed on a tournament arm wrestling table. Arm wrestling tournaments are also divided into weight classes as well as left and right-handed divisions. Furthermore, strict rules such as fouls given to penalties (such as the competitor's elbow leaving a matted area where the elbow is to remain at all times, or a false start), and trying to escape a possible arm pin by breaking the grip with the opponent may result in a loss at the table. Paraphrasing USAF rules, arm wrestlers must straighten their wrists without a time lapse of one minute during competition.
The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) is the universally recognized global governing body of amateur arm wrestling and comprises more than 85 member countries.
Some noted top arm wrestling competitors include John Brzenk (hailed as the greatest arm wrestler of all time), Alexey Voevoda and Jerry Cadorette. Allen Fisher is of high acclaim, for he has won 26 world championships. He is one of the oldest multiple world champion title holders in the sport of arm wrestling at 55 years of age in the year 2011. Heidi Andersson is a female armwrestler from Sweden who has won eight world championships between 1998 and 2010.
Competitive Styles John Brzenk is known mostly for his array of techniques which change almost every time he is engaged in competition, even with the same opponent within the same match. As of Summer 2008, John Brzenk is ranked #1 in North America. Ron Bath is known for his use of the Top Roll technique which emphasizes a 'roll' of the wrist as he brings the opponent's wrist down.Travis Bagent, like Brzenk, is known for his wide array of techniques, coupled with his massive strength and explosive style. Many of Bagent's matches have ended in seconds. However, Bagent is most well known for his colorful remarks and rather rude comments against his opponents. Bagent is considered the best left-handed arm wrestler in the world and is currently ranked second overall in North America, as of Summer of 2008. Joe "The Blaster" Caggiano, the 1981 world champion, has trained most modern champions.
Other competitors such as Matt Girdner, Michael Selearis, Sean Madera, Marcio Barboza, and Christian Binnie, are known for their reliance on strength, coupled with the hook technique, where the wrist turns into a hooked grip after the referee has started the match. "The Hook" or "Hooking" is a generic term used to describe any move derived from the inside system of arm wrestling the second generic system or style of Arm wrestling is known as outside arm wrestling "the Top Roll" or "Top Rolling", while the "Tricep Press", "Shoulder Pressing", or Shoulder Rolling" is often described as the third generic system or style of arm wrestling. and certain arm wrestlers depend on the straps such as Jason Vale who won the 1997 Petaluma World Championships in the super heavy weight class at only 175 pounds using the strap technique.
Many arm wrestlers will have a signature style or favourite technique, while others have enjoyed success by becoming extremely well rounded. Within each of the three broad technical systems of arm wrestling there are numerous clearly identifiable techniques which have been developed and enhanced over time. Great Britain's most successful Armwrestler and former two time European and World Middleweight Champion Neil Pickup is one of today's leading Armwrestlers widely recognized as having originated and developed techniques to suit the genetic make up of individual Armwrestlers. Neil Pickup has enjoyed an Amateur and Professional career spanning more than 20 years during which time he has won more than 60 International titles across 5 different weight classes on both his right and left arms, while also training numerous World Champions both male and female. This success has been largely attributed to his technical prowess, experience and understanding of the athletes whole body as a lever. The Filipino version is called "Bunong Braso".
Associated Injury
Arm wrestling puts enormous torque/twist on the upper arm's humerus bone to a degree seen in few other physical activities. Most people's bones are not accustomed to being significantly stressed in this direction, and injuries can occur surprisingly easily. The arm typically fails because of a diagonal break at or below the midpoint between the shoulder and the elbow.
The natural tendency of an inexperienced arm wrestler is to push the hand, wrist, and shoulder in the same coordinated direction, against the force being applied by the opponent. This is how we throw a baseball or hit a tennis ball.
However, turning one's shoulder this way simply adds to the torque already being applied to the humerus by the opponent. US Arm Sports advises of the danger of "letting your shoulder get inside your hand." It is better to pivot your shoulders so that you never look away from your hand.
If the tendons and ligaments are too weak to support the pressure, the muscles can cause a complete tendon blow (pop). However, tendons can be strengthened with many methods. When tendons are in pain, they require blood so they can heal faster. Doctors and arm wrestlers recommend doing rehab (training/therapy, exercising with light weights and many repetitions for 30 – 45 minutes non-stop to pump the blood into arms). Tendons can get bigger with time, although it can be a slow process. Experienced arm wrestlers may have tendons 2 - 4 times bigger than average people.
Explaination: Xiangqi (Chinese: 象棋; pinyin: Xiàngqí) is a two-player Chineseboard game in the same family as Westernchess, chaturanga, shogi, Indian chess and janggi. The present-day form of Xiangqi originated in China and is therefore commonly called Chinese chess in English. Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in China. Besides China and areas with significant ethnic Chinese communities, Xiangqi is also a popular pastime in Vietnam.
The game represents a battle between two armies, with the object of capturing the enemy's "general" piece. Distinctive features of Xiangqi include the unique movement of the pao ("cannon") piece, a rule prohibiting the generals (similar to chess kings) from facing each other directly, and the river and palace board features, which restrict the movement of some pieces.
Its Chinese name can be treated as meaning "Image Game" or "Elephant Game":
象 originally, and primarily, means "elephant" and is derived from a stylized drawing of an elephant; it was later used to mean "image", as a jiajie (re-use for another word which was pronounced the same); also, elephant ivory was commonly used as a material for carving models.
棋 means "board game".
Xiangqi contains features which are not in Indian chess: the river, the palace, and the placing of the pieces on the intersections of the lines, rather than within the squares. These features may have come from an earlier Chinese board game (perhaps a war-type game) which was also called 象棋 (Xiangqi). As in an astronomical context 象 sometimes means "constellation" or "asterism" (i.e., in both cases, a figure made of stars), there were early Chinese theorizings (which Harold James Ruthven Murray followed and believed) that the older Xiangqi simulated the movements of stars and other celestial objects in the sky.
Explaination: Mahjong, sometimes spelled Mah Jongg, is a game that originated in China, commonly played by four players (with some three-player variations found in Korea and Japan). The four player table version should not be confused with the popular Western single player (tile matching) computer game (Mahjong solitaire), which is a recent invention and completely different from the table game. Similar to the Western card game rummy, mahjong is a game of skill, strategy and calculation and involves a certain degree of chance. In Asia, mahjong is also popularly played as a gambling game (though it may just as easily be played recreationally).
The game is played with a set of 136 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, although some regional variations use a different number of tiles. In most variations, each player begins by receiving thirteen tiles. In turn players draw and discard tiles until they complete a legal hand using the fourteenth drawn tile to form four groups (melds) and a pair (head). There are fairly standard rules about how a piece is drawn, stolen from another player (melded), the use of basic (numbered tiles) and honours (winds and dragons), the kinds of melds, and the order of dealing and play. However there are many regional variations in the rules; in addition, the scoring system, the minimum hand necessary to win varies significantly based on the local rules being used.
Explaination:
Gasing, or top spinning, is a traditional game popular among Malays in the olden days. In rural areas, gasing contests were held during the rice-ripening season. Kampung folks believed that the spinning tops would help bring good harvest.
Both adults and children can play the game. The object of the game is to keep the top spinning for as long as possible and the player who's top spins the longest wins. This game is fast becoming extinct and efforts are being made in Malaysia to revive interest in the game by organising top spinning competitions.
Equipment
The gasing or top is usually made of wood or hard fruits. It comes with a string, which is tightly wound round a nail at the base of the top. There are five different shapes of tops: plate-shaped, heart-shaped, flat-top, egg-shaped and berembang (a reference to the shape of a fruit of a familiar seaside tree).
Method
There is no fixed number of players and the game can be played either in teams or individually. A circle is first drawn on the ground marking the circumference within which the top is to spin. A player holds the top in his hand and grips the loose end of the string between the fingers and throws the top in the circle while at the same time pulls the string backwards which sends the top into a spinning action. The one who's top spins the longest and within the specified circle becomes the winner. Once the top spins out of the circle the player loses the game.
Variations
Another variation of the game is called the striking match, whereby the player tries to knock his opponents' top out of the circle with his own. This game is known as Gasing Pangkah in Malay.
Top spinning competitions are held in various parts of Malaysia, especially Malacca and Kelantan. Here huge tops weighing up to 5 kg are used which makes it more a game for men. Great skill is required to spin these huge tops.
Explaination:Congkak or Congklak is a mancala game of Malay origin played in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand, and some parts of Sumatra and Borneo. Close variants are Dakon or Dhakon (Java), Sungka (Philippines), Chongka' (Marianas), Jogklak (interior of Java); Dentuman Lamban (Lampung), Mokaotan, Maggaleceng, Aggalacang or Nogarata (Celebes), Chonka (Sri Lanka) and Naranj (Maldives). Congkak, which is mostly played by girls, has simple rules that allow the boards to have different numbers of holes. Congkak boards are often made of teak or mahogany wood are often elaborately carved into various shapes such as naga or birds.
Etymology The word congkak is believed to originate from old Malay "congak", meaning "mental calculation"which is mainly practiced in this game. It is regarded that an efficient player who mentally calculates a few steps in advance will have an advantage in collecting points to win the game. The word congkak or congklak also means cowrie shells, used in the game.
History The oldest mancala game boards were found in a ruined fort of Roman Egypt and date back to the 4th century AD. The game was likely introduced to Southeast Asia by Indian or Arab traders in the 15th century. It is believed to have spread throughout Malay world through merchants via Malacca, an important trading post at that time. In the early days, it was thought that this game was for the king and family and palace residents, however later it spread to the general population of the kingdom. Beside the Malays, the IndianPeranakan also enjoy playing Congkak. In Java, the term "dakon stone" refers to the similarly pitmarked stones from the bronze-iron age period of Indonesia. These stones have rows of 4 or 5 cup-shaped holes and two holes at each end, a formation which has much in common with that of the similarly named game in Java. This prehistoric dakon stones is unrelated to the game and were probably employed in ceremonies to propitiate ancestors. Such stones can be found around Java. The current Malaysian Ringgit 10 sen coin has a Congkak board on the reverse in recognition of the long history of congakak in Malaysia.
Rules The Congkak board has fourteen holes in two sets of seven (some have ten holes in two sets of five, some have eighteen holes in two sets of nine), plus an additional bigger store-holes for each player. Each player controls the seven holes on their side of the board, and their score is the number of seeds in their left-hand store. In Indonesia, the holes are called anak ("child"), while the larger store holes are called indung ("mother").[8] A total of 98 pieces are used in the two sets of seven board version. In Southeast Asia, cowrie shells and tamarind seeds are the most common.[9] Seven seeds are placed in each hole except for the players' store. The objective of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent. Players take turns moving the seeds except in the first move which is performed simultaneously, beginning with the hole closest to his/her own store. After this first simultaneous movement, once the last seed falls into an empty hole, the players' first turn is over and the opponent of the player who reached an empty hole first commences his/her turn after the other player has finished his opening move too. On a turn, a player chooses one of the seven holes under their control. The player removes all seeds from this hole, and distributes them in each hole clockwise[10] from this hole, in a process called sowing. Sowing skips an opponent's store, but does not skip a player's own store. If a player is unable to fill a hole with seven seeds that hole is considered sunog ("burnt"); all excess seeds are returned to the store. The round begins with the player with no sunog holes taking his/her turn sowing first. If the last seed falls into an occupied hole, all the seeds are removed from that hole, and are sown starting from that hole. The process continues until the last seed falls into a player's store, or an empty hole. If the last seed sown falls into a player's own store, they immediately earn another turn, which can begin at any of the seven holes under their control. The game ends, when a player has no seeds in his holes at the start of his turn. The remaining seeds are awarded to his opponent. The objective of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent.
The Congkak board has fourteen holes in two sets of seven (some have ten holes in two sets of five, some have eighteen holes in two sets of nine), plus an additional bigger store-holes for each player. Each player controls the seven holes on their side of the board, and their score is the number of seeds in their left-hand store. In Indonesia, the holes are called anak ("child"), while the larger store holes are called indung ("mother").[8]
A total of 98 pieces are used in the two sets of seven board version. In Southeast Asia, cowrie shells and tamarind seeds are the most common.[9] Seven seeds are placed in each hole except for the players' store. The objective of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent.
Players take turns moving the seeds except in the first move which is performed simultaneously, beginning with the hole closest to his/her own store. After this first simultaneous movement, once the last seed falls into an empty hole, the players' first turn is over and the opponent of the player who reached an empty hole first commences his/her turn after the other player has finished his opening move too. On a turn, a player chooses one of the seven holes under their control. The player removes all seeds from this hole, and distributes them in each hole clockwise[10] from this hole, in a process called sowing. Sowing skips an opponent's store, but does not skip a player's own store.
If a player is unable to fill a hole with seven seeds that hole is considered sunog ("burnt"); all excess seeds are returned to the store. The round begins with the player with no sunog holes taking his/her turn sowing first.
If the last seed falls into an occupied hole, all the seeds are removed from that hole, and are sown starting from that hole. The process continues until the last seed falls into a player's store, or an empty hole.
If the last seed sown falls into a player's own store, they immediately earn another turn, which can begin at any of the seven holes under their control.
The game ends, when a player has no seeds in his holes at the start of his turn. The remaining seeds are awarded to his opponent.
The objective of the game is to capture more seeds than one's opponent.
