O.k., so I’m going to take a quick guess and say you have no idea what sungka is.
Am I right?
Every heard of mancala?
If yes, then this is a very similar game.
If no, then let me introduce you to a very fun two person game!!!
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Sungka History
The game is uniquely Filipino and, like I mentioned, is similar to mancala.
It is traditionally played on a large, thick wooden board with 14 little divots/holes, arranged seven on each side in the middle of the board and two larger holes, one on each end.
Typically shells are used as the game pieces.
Even if you don’t have this sungka board you can still easily play!
Tape a few pieces of printer paper together, on the short side, and draw your small and large holes.
Grab some pennies and get to playing 🙂
Or, how about using 14 small bowls and two large bowls?
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How to play Sungka
This is such a fun game to play and their are several versions.
I’m going to share with you how my family plays, which is extremely similar but slightly different.
Let’s get started!
Prepare the board
We’ve somehow misplaced our shells and so we decided to use pennies.
- You’ll need 49 pennies/shells.
- Place 7 pennies in each of the smaller holes.
- Leave the large holes empty.
Let’s Play Sungka!
- This is a two (2) person game. One person on each side.
- The big hole to the players left is their ‘bank’ and is only theirs.
- Both players start at the same time, picking up all the pennies from one hole on their side.
- You’ll drop one penny into each small hole, going clockwise starting with the hole directly to the left of the hole you chose.
- With your first move, you’ll make it into your bank (remember each hole has seven pennies so even if you pick the farthest hole from your bank you will end in your bank.
- When you get to your ‘bank’ you’ll place one penny in it and continue, if you can.
- If your last penny goes into your bank then you’ll also take all the pennies from the hole, on your side, closest to your bank.
- If you go past your ‘bank’ and land in a hole with pennies, whether it’s on your side or your opponents, you will then pick up all those pennies in the hole including the one you put in and will continue around the board (remember to skip your opponents ‘bank’).
- This will continue until you put your last penny into an empty hole.
- This will end your turn….with a but.
Have fun! Play Games!!!!
- Let’s say your last penny is put into an empty hole on your side, your turn does still end but if the hole directly across from yours has pennies, those are put into your bank.
- If the other player has already ended their turn, it will now be their turn.
- If you ended your turn first then you will wait for your opponent to finish then it will be your turn again.
- You will continue back and forth until someone can’t move.
- When that happens you will then ‘restart’ the game.
- Place seven pennies in each hole starting with the hole closest to your bank.
- If you can’t put seven pennies in a hole, those remaining pennies go back into your ‘bank’, and your empty holes now become ‘closed’ (those holes don’t get played/no pennies go into those holes for the remainder fo the game).
- You will then begin the second round with the person who ended the last round.
- You will continue to play until one player cannot refill even one hole once a round has ended.
We love playing this game.
Even my five year old will play 🙂
We know you’ll love it too!!
