Six-pit sowing: rules and printable materials

Sow a handful around a fixed circuit, earn extra turns and capture from an opposite pit.

Players

2

Plan for

15–25 minutes

Bring

18 large counters, six pits and two stores

Prepare eighteen counters

Place three counters in each of the six pits, with empty stores. Player A owns A1–A3 and store A; B owns B1–B3 and store B. The printed clockwise circuit is A1, A2, A3, store A, B1, B2, B3, store B, then A1. Keep the page fixed. Point along that order together before playing; physical clockwise direction is less important than following this exact labeled circuit.

Sow one complete handful

Choose a nonempty pit you own, lift all its counters, and distribute one per following location. Include your own store, skip the other store without spending a counter, and continue around as needed. A1 containing three sends one each to A2, A3 and store A. You cannot choose a store, an empty pit or an opponent's pit, and cannot leave part of a handful behind.

Check the final landing

If the last counter lands in your store, take another turn. If it lands in a previously empty pit on your own side, capture that counter and all counters in the opposite pit only when the opposite pit is nonempty. The pairs are A1/B3, A2/B2 and A3/B1. Move captured counters to your store. Landing in an opponent's pit never captures.

End before an extra turn

After every completed move and capture, if either player's three pits are all empty, stop immediately. The other player sweeps all counters remaining on their own side into their own store; there is no extra turn after this ending. More stored counters wins, ties share the result. The total in all pits and stores must always remain eighteen; recount together if a counter is dropped.

Practice and support

Use the initial A1 move as an unscored demonstration, then restore all six pits to three. A helper may move counters while the player chooses the pit. Use large counters unsuitable for swallowing and keep them away from small children. Allow a different bowl or labeled tray instead of requiring finger dexterity. This kit is a physical board and log, without an automated opponent.

Printable materials

Preview at 100% scale, with browser headers and footers off. Cut with suitable help. Keep host keys separate. This is a manual tabletop kit, not an online opponent, automatic judge or solver.