Seega – Ancient Checkers Game

Seega is a small battle game played in Egypt in the 19th and 20th centuries. Two players drop pieces onto a board, leaving only the central square empty, after which pieces are moved around the board from one square to the next. Pieces are captured by surrounding them on opposite sides, and the player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins the game. In some countries this game is known as "desert checkers". Rules: Seega is played on a board of 5 squares by 5, the central square of which is marked with a pattern. The board starts empty, and each player starts with 12 pieces of his own colour in hand. Players take turns to place 2 pieces each anywhere on the board, except for the central square. When all pieces are placed, the second player begins the movement phase. A piece may move one square in any horizontal or vertical direction. Diagonal moves are not allowed. In this phase pieces may move onto the central square. If a player is unable to move, his opponent must take an extra turn and create an opening. If a player in his move traps an enemy piece between two of his own, the enemy is captured and removed from the board. Diagonal entrapment does not count here. After moving a piece to capture an enemy, the player may continue to move the same piece while it can make further captures. If, when moving a piece, two or three enemies become simultaneously trapped, then all these trapped enemies are captured and removed from the board. It is permissible to move a piece between two enemies without its being harmed. One of the enemies must move away and back again to effect a capture. A piece on the central square is immune from capture, but may itself be used to capture enemy pieces. The game is won by the player who has captured all his enemy's pieces.