Reverse Capturing

Basic Rules - Reverse Capturing

The most interesting rule in Omweso is the reverse capture rule where a player can choose to sow clockwise but only to make a capture directly from his left-most 4 holes (i.e. a, b, i or j for Lower or A, B, I or J for Upper).

For example:

1bc, 3i; 1F, 2G, 1N, 2O with the other 53 seeds elsewhere

Lower can choose to reverse capture by playing the 3 seeds from i clockwise round to c to capture the 2 seeds in FN. He can then play these 2 captured seeds by normal (anti-clockwise) play into jk and end his turn, or he can decide to reverse capture again by playing the 2 captured seeds into a and b, capturing the 4 seeds in G and O. We can note this reverse in the following notation i(3)xF - the 3 seeds in i reverse capture F and N.

Quiz:

5d, 2j; 1F, 3G, 2H, 1NOP with the other 48 seeds elsewhere

How can Lower capture all the seeds from F-H and N-P?

Answer:

d5, j(3)xG, j(4)xF, j(2)xH

This is a Relay Reverse Capture.

Here is the position at the end of Lower's turn, and an explanation in plain English:

The 5 seeds in d are sown anti-clockwise, and land in j making 3 which reverse capture G and O. These 4 seeds are played from j into i, a, b and c, and reverse capture F and N. These 2 seeds are played from j into i and a, reverse capturing H and P. The 3 seeds are then played normally from j anti-clockwise into k, l, and m.

Note three interesting things:

1) Initially there were no seeds in a, b or c to assist in the capture. The move d with 5 seeds sets up one seed in each of c, b, a, and i, and then makes the 2 in j into a 3 to reverse capture G, ending in a cascade of capturing.

2) j is empty at the end of Lower’s turn

3) Our notation assumes normal anti-clockwise sowing and capturing without needing it to be noted (so the final sowing of the captured seeds from H and P into k, l and m is assumed). This makes the notation briefer, and makes it easier to keep up with fast players.

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