Seega!

The ancient game of Seega is known throughout Egypt and the middle east. The board varies in size but is generally played on a flat surface divided into 5x5 squares(total of 25 squares). The board can also be divided into 7x7 or 9x9 for greater complexity. Alternate color tiles or rocks would be used to distinguish each players tokens. Each played would have a total of 12 tokens.

Rules

DROP PHASE: The board is divided with 5x5 squares. Each player places two tokens on either the o's or the x's. From then on each player takes turns placing one token. During this phase no captures can be made. No token may be places in the center square.

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MOVE PHADE: The player who dropped the last stone goes first. Each turn taken the player can move either vertically or horizontally. A stone is captured when an enemy "sandwiches" the opponents token between two enemy tokens. A token can not be captured if a player moves in between two enemy tokens. Stones can capture by custodian capture, i.e., an enemy stone is captured when two friendly stones are positioned one on either side of the enemy, either vertically of horizontally (but not diagonally). After a capture the same token can be moved again if more tokens can be captured, but only with that token. A stone on the center square is considered "safe" and may not be captured. If a played can not move then the enemy player then moves so that the other may move his or her token.

Example of Capturing Multiple Tokens -

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GOAL: The player who captures all the opponents tokens first wins. Often the game ends with a tie.

History

There is dispute as to where this game originated from. Little is known about it based on its easy game play. It was passed down by original tradition so no known records of actual board game has been found. This game is still constantly played in Northern Africa. The possibility of 7x7 or 9x9 was invented to add more complexities to this highly strategic game.

Game Design Elements

Players: 2

Art: None

Play Time: approximately

Age Suggested: 8+

Language: N/A

Category: Bilateral Strategy

Movement: Vertical and Horizontal

Primary Name: Seega

Alternate Names: Ceega, Okenschack.

Family: Hnefatafl

Art

There are no artistic elements to this game. It can be played on anything, a board of squares drawn in the sand and rocks and sticks as your tokens. Only a visually desirable element is needed in distinguishing the tokens from one another.

References

• "Ancient Board Games and the Nabataeans." Nabataea.net Home Page. CanBooks, Spring 2003. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. <http://nabataea.net/games3.html>.

• "Seega: A review | Seega | BoardGameGeek." BoardGameGeek | Gaming Unplugged Since 2000. Ed. WarGamer55. 20 Feb. 2009. Web. 02 Feb. 2010. <http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/171433/seega-a-review>.

A bulleted list of references

Links

Very basic overview of a lot of ancient games:

• http://nabataea.net/games3.html

Very informative, in depth review of Seega

• http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/171433/seega-a-review