Mokhoa oa ho Bapala Morabaraba
Master the ancient game of Morabaraba.
Kakaretso ea Papali
Morabaraba (Twelve Men's Morris) ke papali ea setso ea bohlale ea Afrika Boroa e tšoanang le Nine Men's Morris. Papali e bapaloa lebokoseng le nang le lintlha tse 24, 'me sebapali ka seng se qala ka likotoana tse 12.
Sepheo
Sepheo ke ho hapa likotoana tsa mohanyetsi ka ho etsa 'mill' (likotoana tse tharo ka tatellano) le ho mo fokotsa hore a be le likotoana tse ka tlase ho 3, kapa ho mo thibela hore a se ke a tsamaea.
Libapali
Libapali tse peli, e mong le e mong a e-na le mohlape oa hae oa likhomo: Mohlape o Mosoeu le Mohlape o Motšo. Mohlape oa bobeli o ka bapaloa ke motho e mong kapa ke AI. Mohlape o Mosoeu o qala pele kamehla.
Traditional vs. Koti: Two Variants
Morabaraba is played slightly differently everywhere it's played — across South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho, and again in the wider family of mill games it belongs to, from shax in Somalia to Twelve Men's Morris in Europe. This site plays two boards, Traditional and Koti; the rules on this page apply to both, with the differences noted as they come up.
Mekhahlelo ea Papali
1. Mokhahlelo oa ho Beha
Libapali li fapanyetsana ho beha likotoana tsa tsona libakeng tse se nang letho lebokoseng.
- Sebapali ka seng se na le likotoana tse 12
- Mohlape o Mosoeu o qala pele
- Tobetsa sebaka sefe kapa sefe se se nang letho ho beha sekotoana
- Lekola ho etsa mill ha o thibela mohanyetsi
2. Mokhahlelo oa ho Tsamaea
Ha likotoana tsohle li behiloe, libapali li tsamaea ka likotoana tsa tsona ho ea libakeng tse se nang letho tse haufi.
- Tobetsa sekotoana sa hau ho se khetha
- Tobetsa sebaka se se nang letho se haufi ho tsamaea
- Likotoana li tsamaea feela ka mela ea lebokose
- Tsoela pele ho etsa mill le ho hapa likotoana
3. Mokhahlelo oa ho Fofa
Ha sebapali se na le likotoana tse 3 feela, se ka 'fofa' ho ea sebakeng sefe kapa sefe se se nang letho lebokoseng.
- E sebetsa ha u na le likotoana tse 3 feela
- U ka tsamaea ho ea sebakeng sefe kapa sefe se se nang letho
- Ha u sa thibetsoe ke ho tsamaea haufi
- E fana ka monyetla oa ho khutla papaling
Mills and Capturing
Forming Mills
A mill is three of your cows on three connected points in a straight line along a marked line of the board.
- Along a square's edge, a midline, or a diagonal (diagonals count)
- Three cows round a corner, in an L, or either side of the centre are not a mill
- One placement or move that closes two mills earns two shots
- Open a mill and close it again on a later turn for a new shot; a mill left standing earns nothing
Shooting a Cow
When you form a mill you must immediately shoot (remove) one of your opponent's cows, of your choice.
- Traditional: you may not shoot a cow that is part of a mill, unless all of your opponent's cows are in mills
- Koti: any cow can be shot, mill or not
- A shot cow leaves the board for good
- On this site, tap the cow you want to shoot
Winning the Game
Down to Two
You win when your opponent is reduced to two cows, or resigns.
No Legal Move
You win when your opponent has no legal move on their turn, even with three or more cows left. (In Koti a blocked player passes instead.)
Draws
A game is drawn when both players have three cows and no cow is shot in the next ten moves each; when twenty moves in a row (ten each) pass in the moving phase with no shot; when the same position, with the same player to move, comes up a third time; or when both players agree.
Tournament Play
Over-the-board tournaments run by morabaraba.co.za use the Classic South African rules above, with no flying, and these rules of time and conduct. The arbiter's ruling is final.
The Two-Minute Rule
- No game clocks are used; move at a reasonable pace
- If your opponent is not moving, protest to the arbiter during their turn
- The arbiter starts a two-minute count and calls out 1 minute and 30 seconds left
- No completed move in two minutes loses the game
- The count covers that one move; you may protest again later
- A match holding up the next round can be put on a standing two-minute count for every move
At the Board
- Touch-move: a cow you touch must be placed or moved if it legally can be
- A move is complete when you let go of the cow and, after a mill, the shot cow is removed
- No advice from spectators and no phones at the board
- Speak only to say "mill", offer a draw, or resign
- In a dispute, raise your hand and do not move any cows
Playing Online and in the App
The game on this site and in the apps follows the rules above, with these differences:
- A player reduced to three cows may fly: move any cow to any empty point
- Draws are decided automatically: the same position for the third time, or fifty moves in a row (twenty-five each) with no cow shot
- Online games may use a game clock in place of the two-minute rule
Strategy Tips
Placement Strategy
- Corners sit on three lines and midpoints on two, so corners join more mills
- Place pieces to create multiple mill opportunities
- Block opponent's potential mills early
- Keep pieces flexible for future moves
Movement Strategy
- Create "two-way" attacks where you threaten multiple mills
- Open and re-close a mill to shoot again
- Force opponent into defensive positions
- Plan several moves ahead
Take Morabaraba with you
Seven opponents, the daily puzzle, the Mountain Ascent and online play against the same players as here — free on Android and iPhone.