2 players
Tsoro (Additional Capture)
- Game family
- four rows
- Origin
- Zimbabwe
Overview
Tsoro is a word used for several regional variations of four-row mancala-style board games in Zimbabwe. In this version, players make additional captures when the standard capture is triggered.
Source rules (English)
4x6-21 board; 8 is most common, 12, 15, and 18 are also popular. Two counters in each hole in the players' outer rows. Before the game starts, players choose to make additional captures from one, two, or three holes. Sowing occurs in an anti-clockwise direction, only in the two rows belonging to the player. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. When the final counter lands in an empty hole in the inner row, any counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's inner row are captured. If there also are counters in the opposite hole in the opponent's outer row, these are also captured, but only if there was first a capture from the inner row hole. The player then captures again, from the agreed-upon number of extra holes, chosen from any of the opponent's holes. Players cannot sow from a hole with a single counter unless there are no holes with multiple counters. Single counters can only be sown into an empty hole. Play continues until one player has captured all of the opponent's counters, thus winning the game.