Tri-Pin

Shisima is a two-player abstract strategy game from Kenya, related to tic-tac-toe and three men’s morris. The game is popular and significant because it is a traditional game played by the Tiriki tribe in Kenya and in parts of South India. The game has been played for centuries, and its origins can be traced back to the Roman Empire, where a game known as Rota was played on an octagonal board and likely used three counters per player.

Game Components of Shisima (Rota):

Shisima board3 black and 3 white game pieces, called imbalavali, which translates to “water bugs”

Game Setup of Shisima (Rota):

Print out the Shisima game board or draw an octagon with four straight lines connecting the corners.Place six game pieces (three black and three white) on the corners of the octagon.

Gameplay Mechanics of Shisima (Rota):

Players take turns placing one piece on the board in any open spot.After all the pieces are on the board, a player moves one piece each turn onto the next empty spot (along spokes or circle).The game ends when one player creates a straight line through the center of the board, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

Game Objective of Shisima (Rota):

The objective of Shisima is to be the first player to create a straight line through the center of the board.

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