Dakon

From Mancala World

Dakon → Portuguese.

Dakon

Other Names: Dhakon, Dhakonan, Permainan Dakon

First Description: Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, 1817

Cycles: One

Ranks: Two

Sowing: Multiple laps

Region: Indonesia (Java)

Dakon, a mancala game played on Java, Indonesia, is related to Congkak.

Dakon was first mentioned by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles his "History of Java" in 1817. It is mostly played by girls. It is believed that the game improves competence in calculation and alertness.

The game has been solved by human players and it is a win for the first player in the first move. However, de Voogt, Donkers and Uiterwijk used the name in a misleading manner, confusing it with Ohvalhu, a game they found on the Maldives.

Contents 1 Rules 2 External Links 3 References 4 Copyright

[edit] Rules

The rules are similar to Congkak with some exceptions:

• Dakon is played on a board ("papan dakon") with two rows, each one with five to nine holes. Seven is considered standard. At either end there is also a large store ("rumah").
• Each hole ("sawo") contains seven seeds, if a standard board is used. The counters ("biji sawo") are sapodilla fruits.
• The opening is played in turns. There are no simultaneous opening moves.
• Unlike Congkak, there are two ways of capturing:
  • If the last seed falls in an empty hole of the own side, the seeds in the opposite hole are captured. This is called "nembak" or "tembak" ("shoot").
  • If the last seed is dropped into an opponent's hole, which is empty, the opponent's seeds on the right and left sides are taken. This is known as "mikul" or "pikul" ("carry on shoulder").

[edit] External Links

• Improving Alertness by Playing Dakon

[edit] References

Donkers, H. H. L. M., Voogt, A. J. de & Uiterwijk, J. W. H. M. 

Human versus Machine Problem-Solving: Winning Openings in Dakon. In: Board Games Studies 2000; 3: 79-88.

Raffles, T. Stamford.

History of Java. Gilbert and Rivington, London (England) 1817.

Rohrbough, L. (Ed.). 

Count and Capture. Cooperative Recreation Service, Delaware OH (USA) 1955.

Scheltema, J. F. 

Peeps At Many Lands: Java. A. & C. Black, London (England) 1912.

Veth, P. J.

Java, geographisch, ethnologisch, historisch. De Erven F. Bohn, Haarlem (Netherlands) 1875-1884 (Volume I).

[edit] Copyright

© Wikimanqala.
By: Ralf Gering
Under the CC by-sa 2.5 license.