Chopat
Chopad (or Chaupad) is a Cross and Circle game played in Saurashtra, part of Gujarat, India.
History
It is a relatively easy game to learn but it does require skill to play this game of strategy well. Chopat is claimed to be a variation of the game of dice played in the epic poem Mahabharata between Yudhishthira and Duryodhan.
Variations are played in other parts of India1 and even Pakistan2. It is similar in some ways to Pachisi, Parcheesi and Ludo.
It is also called The Ludo grandfathers.
In most of the villages of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan , this game is played by old persons for time pass.In Ancient time this is played for entertainment purposes. It is an ancient game of INDIA.Ludo(U.K)and parchissi(U.S.A) are the version of Chopat game.
Set up
A chopat 'board' is traditionally an embroidered cloth in the shape of a cross. Each arm of the cross is divided into three columns and each column is divided into eight squares.
The “dice” are seven cowry shells.
The “men” or pieces (Sogthi)are usually made of wood. Each player has four men.
In another version of CHOPAT GAME 2 players play and one player Say 'A' carries total 8 pawns ( Red pawn =4, black pawn =4), similarly player 'B' carries 8 pawns(yellow pawn =4, green pawn = 4).It should be clear to players that RED PAWNS are known as 'RANG' and BLACK PAWNS are known as ' BADRANG' for player 'A' and Yellow pawns are known as RANG and Green pawns are known as Badrang for player 'B'
This version of chopat game needs 6 cowries instead of 7.
Rules
Maximum four players play this game, each sitting in front of an arm of the cross.
The centre of the cross is “ghar" or "home”.
The center column on each arm of the cross is the "home column" for each player’s men after they cross the flower motif.
The starting point for each player is the flower motif on the column to the left of his home column.
Each player has to enter his four men into the game from the starting point. The men travel around the outer perimeter columns in an anti-clockwise direction.
Before a player can bring any of his own men “home”, he has to knock out at least one man of another player. This is called a “tohd”.
Only the player’s own men can enter the home column of each player. Once the men cross the flower motif, they are played by laying the pieces on their side to indicate they are in their final home stretch and are safe now from any further attack.
Rules of another version
Player will enter his Rang pawns in this game, once the rang pawns entered only then his Badrang pawns will enter in the game,
The safe squares are 10 in the game
If player ' A ' has his Rang pawn on safe square then only his Rang pawns can sit on the same safe square not others pawns, similarly if Badrang Is in any safe square then only Badrang pawns can sit in the same safe square.
if in a one hand throw player has 10-10-10, means 3, 10s in a row the turn will be fortified, similarly 3 times 25, means 25-25-25, but u can move when 6-6-6 or 12-12-12 appear on shells, turn will not be fortified.
If our Rang pawn is in Home Colomn(1 to 8 number cells) there in that column only Rang pawns can sit not Badrang, similarly if Badrang pawn is in home column only Badrang pawns can sit or move.
Cowry Shells
All seven cowry shells are used in each throw.
Scoring is as follows:
All 7 facing down – 7 points
1 facing up, 6 facing down – 11 points
2 facing up, 5 facing down – 2 points
3 facing up, 4 facing down – 3 points
4 facing up, 3 facing down – 4 points
5 facing up, 2 facing down – 25 points
6 facing up, 1 facing down – 30 points
All 7 facing up – 14 points
COWRY SHELLS FOR ANOTHER VERSION
Total sea shells = 6
when 1 up, 5 down = 10 +1+turn
when 2 up,4 down= 2 number
when 3 up,3 down= 3 number
when 4 up,2 down=4 number
when 5 up,1 down=25+1+turn
when 6 up= 12 + turn
when 6 down= 6 + turn.
Entering men
To start, each player takes turns throwing the cowry shells. The player with the highest score starts first.
A player can only enter a man into the game if he has a “high” throw - 11, 25 or 30 points or higher.
The starting point each player is the flower motif on the column to the left of his home column.
- entrying of pawn
This game will begin only when 10 or 25 points we achieved by cowries.If we have 6 points +3 points only, game will not start, we have 10+6+3 (if) we can start game.if we have 25+3 points(if) we can start.Here we enter 2 pawns (doublet) in game then again when we have 10 or 25 we again enter second pair means 3rd and 4th pawn as doublet in game.
This above entry is for RANG PAIR (4 PAWNS)
SAME WE have other 4 BADRANG (4PAWNS).THEY will enter in the same manner as RANG enters.
Playing
The men travel around the outer perimeter columns in an Anti-clockwise direction from their starting flower motifs.
For each high throw, a player gets an additional throw. If he has three consecutive high throws, they “burn” up - "beli jaye" and he loses a turn.
If a player has multiple throws in a turn because of a “high” throw, he is allowed to move different men for each of the throws.
Once all four of his men have entered into play, any further throws of 11, 25 or 30 points by the player results in the granting of one additional step or point called “peghedu”. This is a bonus point. This peghedu (single step) may be used to move another man, separate from the man moved for the throw itself.
At any point in the game, if a player has no men who can move the amount of a throw, that throw is forfeited.
If at any point our doublet is there and number 10 or 25 is to move then exact 10 or 25 will move with doublet not single single pawn will move 10 or 25.If at any point doublet is there and we have to move 1 extra number of 10 or 25 it will also move as doublet not single pawn.If at any point triplet(3 pawns) are there and 10 or 25 is to move, in this case it depends upon us we move doublet or single pawn for moving 10 or 25.It must be clear that if we have 10+4 number, here all number must be moved by only RANG PAWNS OR BADDRANG PAWN not as 10 numbers of RANG n others with BADDRANG.
Safe Squares
The squares with the flower motifs are “safe” squares. Two opposing players’ men can both land on the same square with no harm to either.
If two men of the same player rest on a single square, they are safe. Men of other players can move past this square on their turn although they cannot land there.
THE squares with cross symbol are SAFE SQUARES.If one player already occupied safe square then other player can not sit there.Moreover, if one's RANG has occupied then his Own baddrang even can not siton safe square.Yes One's RANG already occupied then onlyand only his OWN RANG pawns can sit.There are total 10 safe square.
Knock Out
Each player has to knock out at least one man of another player – do a “tohd” or "hit" - before he can bring any of his men home, Flower Motif of First strip payers home arm.
This is done by landing his man on any square other than one with a flower motif, occupied by a single man of his opponent. The knocked out man is taken out of play and has to be re-entered into the game the usual way.
If first player' pawn is on square which is not a safe square and second player' pawn land on that square on his turn, then it will be captured by second player.Now, captured pawn will reenter in game when his 10 or 25 numbers open on his throw.If RANG pawn is captured then only RANG will get freedom, but if RANG AND BADDRANG pawn are captured then first RANG will be freed followed by BADDRANG (ON next 10 or 25 throw).Doublet can not be captured, only single pawn can be captured by single or doublet.TOUD OR KEY is must for enter of pawns in home column or home.
Counting Strategies
Each arm of the cross has 17 squares for moving so:
1. "aanth ghar pacchees" - move 8 for throw of 25 - count 8 squares forward and move to the corresponding square on the next arm of the cross.
2. "tehr ghar trees" - move 13 for throw of 30 - count 13 squares forward and move to the corresponding square on the next arm of the cross.
Coming Home
The home column for each player can only be entered by his men if he has already made at least one “tohd”.
Once the men cross the flower motif, they are played by laying the pieces on their side to indicate they are in their final home stretch and are safe now from any further attack. However an opponent player can make his man- made or Silly(Gandu).
Each man enters the center cross “home” only with the exact number of steps. If the throw is higher than the required number of steps, and if it cannot be used by any other of his men still in play, that throw is forfeited.
While entering home, if our pawn land on square no.1 which is very first square, then our pawn will fall in NARAK POINT, in this case if second player's at least one BADDRANG is in home he can cut ur pawn on NARAK POINT, IF he doesn't make this strategy then only firstplayer who is on NARAK can enter with one extra number when 10 or 25 player gets.ITmust be clear to you that first of all player's ALL 4 RANG pawns enter in home only then BADDRANG can enter in home.iff at least one RANG is outside of home we can not enter our BADDRANG in home.Shortly first all 4 RANG pawns( RED/YELLOW) enter in home then all BADDRANG(BLACK/GREEN) will enter.
Winning
The first player who brings all four of his men home is the winner.
Play continues for second and third places until one last player has men remaining on the board.
To Continue Playing
After a player has brought all his men home, he can continue to play with the others.
This is called “gandu kadhyu” - being silly. If at least one out of his four men is in Home, he can make this man mad or silly (Gandu) only if he gets a big score in his turn (11, 25, 30). This mad man can kill any man anywhere even in a flower motif, including his own. This mad man moves clockwise (in opposite direction to the others) and has to complete the circle and has to come back home from the opponent's arm from where he might have started his journey. Unless and until this mad man completes his journey, the owner player can't move his other men. They will remain standstill where they were before the player made one of his home men mad. To separate this mad man from the rest of the men, this man will be placed in the lying position. This is a source of much hilarity and an exciting part of Chopat.You can make your pawn silly, mad, HALKEE only when opposite player one pawn sit on no.1 square while entering his home column.When pawn became HALKEE, SILLY, MAD he can not cut his own pawn but can cut oppisite player pawn anywhere same it can be cut by opposite player at any position.
References
1. The Hindu of India <http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/07/stories/2007100757860400.htm>
2. Daily Times of Pakistan <http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_21-6-2005_pg7_18>