How to play congkak ?

Method of Play:

• The board has two rows of seven cups ('houses') on each side and a larger compartment ('storehouse') at each end. Players sit facing each other.
  
• Before the game starts, the 'houses' (1-14) are filled with seven shells each, while the 'storehouses' (A & B) are left empty.
• Both players begin simultaneously by scooping up all the shells in any house on their side. Each drops a shell into the next 'house' and continues clockwise depositing one shell into every house thereafter.
• A player drops a shell into his 'storehouse' each time he passes it but does not deposit any into his opponent's 'storehouse'.

How the game continues, depends on where the last shell of each scoop is deposited.

• IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO THE PLAYER'S OWN 'STOREHOUSE':The player scoops up the shells from any of his 'houses' and distributes them in the cups ('houses') round the board but not in his opponents's 'storehouse'.
• IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO A 'HOUSE' (on either side of the board) CONTAINING SHELLS:The player scoops up all the shells in that 'house' and continues distributing them as described above.
• IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO THE PLAYER'S 'HOUSE' WHICH IS WITHOUT SHELLS:The player is entitled to collect the shells in his opponent's 'house' directly opposite his own. These shells collected from his opponent's house together with his last shell are deposited in his own 'storehouse'. If the opponent's 'house' opposite his own is empty, he deposits only his last shell in his own 'storehouse'. He forfeits his turn and stops playing. It is the opponent's turn now to distribute the shells.
  
• IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO AN EMPTY 'HOUSE' BELONGING TO THE OPPONENT:The player forfeits his turn and stops playing. He also forfeits his shell and leaves it in the opponent's 'house'. It is the opponent's turn now to distribute the shells.
  
• The first round ends when a player has no more shells on his side.
  Play resumes in the second round with players redistributing shells from their own 'storehouse' to their own 'houses'.
• Beginning from left to right, seven shells are placed in each 'house'. If a player does not have sufficient shells to fill his own 'houses', the remaining cups are left empty and are considered 'burnt'. The leftover shells are deposited into his own 'storehouse.' The opponent deposits excess shells he has won into his own 'storehouse'.
• The loser gets to start the second round. Play is continued as before but players will bypass 'burnt houses' ie. no shells are to be dropped into these houses. If a shell is accidentally dropped into a 'burnt house', it is confiscated and stored in the opponent's 'storehouse'.
• Play continues until one player loses all his 'houses' or concedes defeat.

History of Congkak

Congkak is a game played in the island of Borneo, Singapore, and Peninsular Malaysia.

Congkak is believed to originate from the word ‘congak’ which in old Malay Language means count. It is believed that the game originated in Malacca Kingdom where it became very popular and spread to the South East Asia region. This spread was due to the many travelers who visited the kingdom because it was a trading city. In the early days it is thought that this game was for the king and family and the palace residents, however later it spread to the general population of the kingdom. As the congkak board is shaped like a boat it is believed that it is based on the legend of a fisherman unable to go to the sea during rainy season who lost his income during this time. To prevent boredom he created this game which is similar to his boat.




Today, it has been refined to a board game. It consists of a wooden board with two rows of five, seven, or nine holes and two large holes at both ends called "home". Congkak, played with shells, pebbles or tamarind seeds, requires two players.

The game comprises a congkak board which is a block of wood carved with two large holes called the homes at both ends. Each congkak has two parallel rows of 8 or 10 holes, each recess containing 8 or 10 seeds or marbles. The end of the carved board has a receptacle referred to as 'rumah' or house.

The aim is to get rid of all the seeds on your side by moving them across over your 'enemy' while placing each seed or marble into your own house as you pass. The last seed to be deposited continues by scooping up the remaining seeds in the hole until it lands in an empty one whereby the other player starts his turn. The game ends with the winner either the one with the most seeds in his house or the first to empty his row of holes.

Two players are needed in this game in which they fill up the holes with either pebbles, marbles or rubber seeds. All winnings are placed in the homes and the player who collects the most seeds becomes the winner.

The game involves skill and mental alertness and in cases where the players are both skillful, the game would take several hours to finish.