Tsela ya go Tshameka Morabaraba
Master the ancient game of Morabaraba.
Kakaretso ya Motshameko
Morabaraba (Twelve Men's Morris) ke motshameko wa setso wa maano wa Aforika Borwa o tshwana le Nine Men's Morris. Motshameko o tshamekiwa mo lebokoseng le nang le mafelo a 24, mme motshameki mongwe le mongwe o simolola ka dikarolo di le 12.
Maikaelelo
Maikaelelo ke go tshwara dikarolo tsa mmaba ka go bopa 'mill' (dikarolo di le tharo ka mola) le go mo fokotsa go nna le dikarolo di le fa tlase ga 3, kgotsa go mo thibela gore a se ka a tsamaya.
Batshameki
Batshameki ba babedi, mongwe le mongwe a na le motlhape wa gagwe wa dikgomo: Motlhape o Mosweu le Motlhape o Montsho. Motlhape wa bobedi o ka tshamekwa ke motho yo mongwe kgotsa ke AI. Motlhape o Mosweu o simolola pele ka gale.
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.
Dikgato tsa Motshameko
1. Kgato ya go Bea
Batshameki ba a fapanyetsana go baya dikarolo tsa bone mo mafelong a a se nang letho mo lebokoseng.
- Motshameki mongwe le mongwe o na le dikarolo di le 12
- Motlhape o Mosweu o simolola pele
- Tobetsa lefelo lepe fela le le se nang letho go baya karolo
- Lekola go bopa mill fa o thibela mmaba
2. Kgato ya go Tsamaya
Fa dikarolo tsotlhe di beilwe, batshameki ba tsamaisa dikarolo tsa bone go ya mafelong a a se nang letho a a gaufi.
- Tobetsa karolo ya gago go e tlhopha
- Tobetsa lefelo le le se nang letho le le gaufi go tsamaya
- Dikarolo di tsamaya fela ka mela ya lebokoso
- Tshwetsopele ya go bopa mill le go tshwara dikarolo
3. Kgato ya go Fofa
Fa motshameki a na le dikarolo di le 3 fela, a ka 'fofa' go ya lefelong lepe fela le le se nang letho mo lebokoseng.
- E diragala fa o na le dikarolo di le 3 fela
- O ka tsamaya go ya lefelong lepe fela le le se nang letho
- Ga o tlhole o thibetswe ke go tsamaya gaufi
- E fana ka monyetla wa go boela mo motshamekong
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.