Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. (IA mobot31753002412036).pdf/35

 New Notes on the Game of "Chongkak."

A few years ago, driving with a friend along the coast-road from Sourabaya to Grissé, we noticed two Madurese coolies playing "chongkak," which in Java is called "dakon." For a few guilders we bought the board, an old piece, beautifully carved, apparently of Balinese origin. It has the shape of a dragon with two heads, the back being flat and containing the two rows of 9 holes each, and the two "rumahs." The body rests on four wheels. I had seen "chongkak" played in Singapore, and the game our Javanese servants explained to us, (which they did rather unwillingly, "dakon" being considered as a women's game) followed, as far as I can remember, the rules given by Mr. Hellier in No. 49 (December 1907) of this Journal.

When going home on leave shortly afterwards, we took the board with us and played the game on board the mailsteamer. In Colombo some Singhalese gentlemen joined the steamer and soon became interested in our game. They informed me that "Chongkak," which name is also used in Ceylon, is one of the oldest games of India, the two rows of holes, characteristic for the game, being found cut in the rocks of the oldest temples. One of the gentlemen, whose name to my regret I cannot remember, kindly taught me the game as it is played in Ceylon, and we had many interesting matches, the last one lasting about three days. As the Ceylonese game seems to be more complicated than the Malay one, and might even be attractive to European lovers of such pass-times, I shall try to give below the full rules and a few hints. The Malay expressions I borrow from Mr. Hellier.

On the board in my possession there are twenty holes arranged as follows:



The game is played by two players, A and B. Kampong and rumah A belong to A, kampong and rumah B to B. At the beginning of a match 9 seeds are placed in each of the 9 holes of each kampong; rumah A and B remaining empty.