Shisima

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A fun maths game from Kenya.

It is a two-player abstract strategy game played by the Triiki people of Kenya.

This game is similar to Tic-Tac-Toe, where you have to place three counters/pieces in a row.

It is called Shisima (meaning: "body of water"/ "source of water").

Given this name because the center of the game board is the "water", and they call the game pieces "impalavali" (meaning: "water bugs/insects"). The reason for this is that water bugs move very quickly and it is hard to keep track of where they are. In the same way, Shisima players move their pieces so quickly, it's hard to keep track of them.

Generally, the kids in Kenya would draw the Shisima game board on the dirt and use twigs and rocks as imbalavali. To play the game you can draw an octagon on a piece of paper with 4 lines connecting each set of opposite points intersecting in the middle.

Game Board: Draw the board
Counters/Pieces: Each player has 3 pieces (e.g. bottle tops) of different colours. Designed to represent the imbalavali.
Number of players: 2

Game Rules:

  • Opening Position
    • Place the counters on three consecutive points of octagon, across from each other.
  • Objective of the Game
    • To get three counters of the same kind placed in a row, with one counter on the Shisima.
  • Moves
    • Each piece can move one space at a time.
    • Jumping over a counter is not allowed.
    • Player take turns moving their counters one space along the line to the next empty point.
    • A player may move into the center, the shisima at any time.
  • Winner
    • The first player to get all the three counters in a row going through a shisima is the winner.


    • YouTube Video Explanation: https://youtu.be/E94ajI6qvEw



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