Cows & Leopards

Cows & Leopards may be played on either the Peralikatuma board or the Mogol Putt'han board and always commences with the board vacant of counters.

Alternate Names

Tigers & Sheep, Hasu Chirate Ata

No. of Players

Two

Equipment

A Peralikatuma board or a Mogol Putt’han board, twenty-four black “cow” counters, and two white “leopard” counters are required for play.

History

This game originates from Sri Lanka.

Objective

The cows win if they manage to hem in both of the leopards so that they are unable to move. The leopards win if they manage to capture enough of the cows so as to make their objective impossible.

Play

The game commences with the board empty of counters. The Leopard player moves first by entering a counter at any intersection on the board. The cow player may then enter any single cow counter at any vacant intersection on the board. Turns alternate, although neither player is able to move a counter until all of their own have been placed on the board. Cows and leopards may both move along a line to any adjacent vacant intersection and in addition the leopard may capture a cow by jumping over it in a straight line to a vacant intersection just beyond. Jump and capture moves by the leopard may not be enchained and thus only one cow may be captured per turn. Jump and captures moves by the leopard are compulsory and the leopard must capture a cow if able to do so. If more than one jump is available to the leopard player, however, she may choose which one to make.

Strategy

Variations

The Tibetan game of Kungser is mostly identical with the Cows & Leopards played on a Mogol Putt’han board in all but a few trivialities. The two vertical lines in each of the triangular extensions are usually drawn as curved lines. The boards are, however, topologically equivalent and this does not affect the play. Also the two leopard counters are referred to as the princes and the cow counters are lamas (Buddhist monks) here. The game is said to symbolize the centuries of struggle between the Tibetan rulers (Kungsers) and the Sakya Lamas (monks) that began in CE 1254. This board has been found carved into the rock of a hill temple near Kherjarala, Rajesthan, India. It should be noted also that another game from Tibet is played on this same board that is itself identical to Mogol Putt’han from Bengal, India.

Sources

1. Pentagames. Compiled by Pentagram. 1990. Fireside, Simon & Schuster Inc. ISBN 0-671-72529-7.