Mathura Chaupad

The following instructions to play Chaupad as it is played in the Mathura region of North India has been provided by a Chaupad enthusiast from Haryana, Mr. Naresh Verma (nareshverma302@gmail.com). Naresh learnt this game from his Guruji Sri Parasnath ji. Thank you, Parasnath ji, thank you Naresh ji.

Sri Parasnath ji playing the game of Chaupad on the banks of Yamuna at Mathura

An idyllic scene of a Chaupad game on the banks of river Yamuna at Mathura.

Instructions to play Mathura Chaupad

1. Two players start with 8 Goties each, sitting opposite each other.
2. Red ,Yellow, Green and Black.Combination – Red and Green  & Yellow and Black
3. Three  dice with 1,2,5,6 marks on dice are used to play the game.
4. Game starts by placing Goties at chosen starting positions, all Four Red/yellow Goties on 24 and all Four green/blackGoties on 7.
5. There are no graces or extra turn, on capture, entering Charkoni, on Doublet or triplet or for any other reason.
6. Goties move anti-clockwise.
7. A throw can be split; each number on stick can move a different Goti, single, Superpawn or combination of both.
8. Capture is must before Goti enters HomeColumn, capture could be of any color of opponent.
9. In a single turn only same color Goties can be moved.
10. Players can make Superpawnup to two Goties, Superpawn cannot be captured by any single or other Superpawn.
11. Superpawn moves as single piece only on rolling Doublet. 
12. On rolling Triplet, Superpawn can move as single piece, for example 666, Superpawn  can move either 6 or 12 spaces and one of the Goti will move 6 
13. On rolling triplet, 666, if a player has three Goties on a square he can move them 12 spaces forward as a single Goti and move another Goti 6 spaces to complete the move. 
14. If a player cannot move his same color Goties for the total of all three dice, of a single throw, then player loses his turn. 
15. On rolling 651 player may move his Superpawn, of two Goties, 6 spaces
16. Same color pieces cannot land on same square 
17. Red will enter HomeColumn first, after all Red pieces had enteredHomeColumn, then Green pieces can enter HomeColumn.Green cannot enter Charkoni till the time all Red pieces have entered Charkoni, Green Goties cannot be with Red Goties on same square in HomeColumn.
18. Captured Goties must enter the game again, from Charkoni,
19. Player can take second or more rounds if required.
20. Superpawn can enter Charkoni as single piece
21. If all Rang Goties are in home column then player must get exact number to enter Charkoni
22. If all Badrang Goties are in Home column then player can use either one, combination of two or combination of three  dice.

Boardgames booklet released at Nuremberg

Jorge Nuno Silva released the booklet 'Indian Traditional Boardgames - A Guide to the Art of Play' published by Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, on 13 April 2016 at the 19 International Board Game Studies Colloquium at Nuremberg. Mr. Silva is a mathematician and professor of history and philosophy of science at the University of Lisbon (UL), Portugal. He teaches history of board games at UL, is the President of Ludus Association, and organizer of BGS colloquia in 2008 and 2013.

Jorge Nuno Silva is seen releasing the booklet

Front cover of the booklet

Back cover of the booklet with a brief blurb

80 pages - all colour

Copiously illustrated

Rules for 21 games

The booklet, ‘Indian Traditional Board Games – A Guide to the Art of Play’ published by Ramsons Kala Pratishtana is a window to the fascinating world of traditional board games that have been played across the country in countless homes, temple courtyards and wherever people gathered.

The book is lavishly illustrated by specially commissioned paintings.  A history of board games, an introduction to the Master of Board Games, Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar and an excursion to the world of temples within whose precincts are scores of designs of board games etched in stone are major chapters in the book. The guide to play section tells you how to play the game using easily understandable diagrams and instructions. Enjoy!

This booklet is available for sale at 'Handicrafts Sales Emporium', Mysuru.

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Sri N. Shashidhar, Treasurer, Crafts Council of Karnataka, Bengaluru had this to tell about this booklet...

            "Dear Sri RG Singh,

I happen to see the publication brought out by you on Board Games in Sri MV Narayana Rao's Sir house. I want to Congratulate all the members responsible for bringing out an excellent publication.

I personally feel proud that we have  a publication of an international standard. The lay out, visuals used and the excellent write-up and the presentation everything has added value to make the publication an outstanding one."

Sri L. Nellaiappan, former officer in the Department of Handicrafts, Tamil Nadu, is our Trust's advisor. Following are his comments about the booklet...

            "...Congratulations for the accomplishment of a well designed and cherished content of a good book on board games. You people have taken really to great heights the traditional board games."

Sri Vijayanath Shenoy, Secretary, Hasta Shilpa Trust, Manipal, commented on the booklet as follows...

            "Dear Sri R.G. Singh,

This booklet contains a wealth of information about almost all the traditional Board Games in India; and, I do not think that there is any book of this kind ever published in India. This is a rich reference work for all research scholars of traditional Board Games in future. I wish to congratulate you and your co-authors for the service that you have rendered to Indian culture by way of bringing out this purposeful volume."