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வாழ்க தமிழ்வளர்க தமிழ்பரவட்டும் தமிழ்

Thamizh Koodam — Where Tamil tradition comes together

Dhayam தாயம்

The traditional Tamil race game, played with Dayakattai stick dice. Choose your opponent and start playing.

Full rules

Dhayam

Player 1 · left home
Player 2 · right homeComputer
Token comes out on

Traditionally only a Dhayam (1). These also mean roll again.

Roll again on

Roll again before moving on 1, 5, 6 or 12, then play every value in any order.

How to play in a minute

  1. Pick your tokens — terracotta, brass, lotus coin, pearl, emerald or conch — then each player throws the two sticks once — the higher throw plays first. A Dhayam (1) brings a token out of your home circle onto your end of the bottom bar.
  2. Move along the bar, up the neck and once round the frame — Player 1 goes clockwise, Player 2 anticlockwise.
  3. Land on your opponent's coin on a plain square to cut it and send it home. Coins on X squares are safe, and an X held by your opponent is closed to you.
  4. After your first cut, a coin that finishes the frame climbs the spine to the peak, runs down your diagonal and up your leg into the Oval.
  5. Rolls of 1, 5, 6 and 12 mean roll again before you move, then play every value in any order. A cut, or a coin reaching the Oval, earns one extra roll. First to bring every coin into the Oval wins.