Igisoro: The Two Player Board Game
Learn how to play the Rwandan two player board game where the person with the most seeds wins.
Board gameOriginal Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
Igisoro's historical background
Igisoro in Rwanda or mankala in other African cultures is one of the oldest games on earth. It was played in Egypt several centuries Before Christ.
In Rwanda, igisoro boards engraved on rocks across the landscape are mystically attributed to King Ruganzu (1510-1543).
Board game (2) by UnknownOriginal Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
Several dozen variations of the igisoro game exist throughout Africa where it is often termed the “mankala” game, but the Rwandan version is counted among the most elaborate and difficult. Locally it is named, ikibuguzo or igisoro depending on the region.
Board gameOriginal Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
How is it played?
In Rwanda, the gisoro is played with a wooden table equipped with 32 pits arranged in four rows of eight, where players maneuver 64 playing pieces – small pebbles or large seeds, agasoro, also called cows, inka.
Playing board gameOriginal Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
How the game begins
Igisoro is played by 2 players, facing each other on opposite sides of the board game. Each player has 2 rows of 8 pits.
Before the game starts, the first row holds 4 seeds in each pit. It starts when each player places the seeds in the back or fore rows of their territory.
Statue (1)Original Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
Playing the game
A player chooses a pit containing seeds in their territory and sows them, placing one seed in each pit as they move counter-clockwise around their territory.
If the pit where the last seed is sown is not empty, the player picks up all seeds from this pit and begins to sow again.
Playing the game
If the pit where the last seed is sown is not empty, and both opponent's pits are not empty, the player may pick up all seeds from these two pits and begin to sow it again from the pit where they originally began their turn, as they did for the original move.
Board game (2) by UnknownOriginal Source: Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy
End of the game
A player loses when they can't sow any more of their seeds, which means the other player with seeds is a winner, and so, the game concludes.
Content contributors: Andre Ntagwabira & Chantal Umuhoza
Curatorial layout: Chantal Umuhoza
Content editing: Tosin Adeosun
