List of cross and circle games

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Cross and circle is a board game design used for race games played throughout the world. The design of most cross and circle games involves a circle divided into four equal portions by a cross inscribed inside it; the classic example of this design is the Korean game Yut. However, the term "cross and circle" is typically widened to include boards that replace the circle with a square, and cruciform boards that collapse the circle onto the cross; all three types are topologically equivalent.

Contents

The Indian game Pachisi and its many descendants are perhaps the most well-known of all cross and circle games. [1] Not all cross and circle games are descended from Pachisi; there are numerous examples of other similar games independently developed in other cultures.

List of games

NameImagePlace of originMovementNotes
Aeroplane Chess Aeroplane Chess Board.jpg China Single six-sided dieFeatures airplane-themed pieces rather than abstract markers.
Aggravation Aggravation Board.jpg United States Single six-sided dieTrademarked; accommodates up to six players, unlike most cross and circle games.
Ashte kashte Ashte kashte route.png Bengal, India Four thrown cowry shells Played on a seven-by-seven grid with four "resting spaces" on which pieces cannot be captured. Players may sit two of their own pieces on one square to block movement of enemy pieces.
Chaupar Chopat.jpg India Six thrown cowry shells, or three four-sided long dice Played on a cross-shaped fabric board.
Coppit Fang den Hut.jpg Germany Single six-sided dieOriginally named Fang Den Hut, or Capture the Hat.
Cranium United States Single six-sided die rolled after completion of an activityTrademarked; players travel a circuit completing various activities in order to advance.
Dayakattai Thayam.JPG Tamil Nadu, India Two four-sided brass long dice The game is named after the brass long dice used to determine movement.
Headache Game of Headache (UK version) - game set up.jpg United States Two standard dice within a clear plastic "pop-o-matic" dome in the center of the board.Unlike most cross and circle games, the object is not to arrive at a "home base", but to mark all of the opponent's pieces with one's own color first.
Edris A Jin Syria and Lebanon Similar to pachisi
Jeu des petits chevaux PetitsChevaux2.jpg France Single six-sided dieIn English, the name translates to "the game of little horses," in reference to the game's small horse-shaped pawns.
Kimble Kimble 1968.jpg Finland One standard die within a clear plastic "pop-o-matic" dome in the center of the board.Trademarked; Finnish release of the American game Trouble There is an identical British version called 'Frustration'.
Ludo Ludo-3.jpg England Single six-sided dieDerived from the Indian game Pachisi, with simplified rules. Sold worldwide under a variety of local names.
Mensch ärgere Dich nicht Menschenaergern.svg Germany Single six-sided dieIn English, the name translates to "hey, don't get angry," in reference to the fact that the game involves capturing other players' pawns.
Patolli Tablero de Patolli.svg Mesoamerica Five or six thrown marked black beansAncient Mesoamerican game played by a variety of Pre-Columbian cultures.
Pachisi TCMI beaded board game 1.jpg India Six or seven thrown cowry shells Has been played in India since at least the 16th century, and is considered the ancestor to many Western cross and circle games such as Ludo, Parcheesi , and Sorry! .
Parcheesi Parcheesi-board.jpg United States Two six-sided diceTrademarked American adaptation of the Indian game Pachisi.
Parchís Parchis.svg Spain Single six-sided dieGeneric-name Spanish adaptation of the Indian game Pachisi.
Parqués Tablero de parques.svg Colombia Two six-sided diceParqués boards can be adapted to accommodate four, six, or eight players.
Sorry! Sorry diamond edit.jpg England Cards drawn from a game-specific deck.Trademarked; the game's title comes from the many ways in which a player can negate the progress of another, while issuing an apologetic "Sorry!"
Tock Tock board (taken without flash).jpg Quebec, Canada Cards played from a hand of standard playing cards Some playing cards have special functions such as extra movement. Some variations include joker cards.
Trivial Pursuit Trivial Pursuit.jpg Canada Single six-sided diePlayers travel around the board answering trivia questions on six different topics, and must correctly answer one from each topic in order to make it to the centre and win the game.
Trouble United States One standard die within a clear plastic "pop-o-matic" dome in the center of the board.Trademarked; sold in the UK under the name Frustration. The game's dice have Arabic numerals rather than the typical pips.
Uckers Uckers Boardgame (15517084573).jpg England Two six-sided dicePrimarily played in branches of the British Armed Forces, particularly the Royal Navy, which lays down the official game rules in its regulations.
Wahoo Aggravation board.jpg Appalachia, United States Single six-sided dieRegional variation of the traditional cross and circle game. Aggravation is a licensed version of the same game.
Yut Korea yut pan.jpg Korea Four thrown marked sticksTraditional board game associated with Korean New Year.
Zohn Ahl Zohn ahl schematic.png Great Plains region of the United States Four thrown marked sticksTraditional board game of the Native American Kiowa people.

See also

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References

  1. MacKenzie, Colin; Finkel, Irving L. (2004-01-01). Asian Games: The Art of Contest. Asia Society. p. 57. ISBN   9780878480999.