Week 5- Let's talk school

Vietnamese Traditional Game - 'O An Quan'

Created by me using PowerPoint

Hàng trầu hàng cau
Là hàng con gái
Hàng bánh hàng trái
Là hàng bà già
Hàng hương hàng hoa
Là hàng cúng Phật.

    You might be confused what is this language up there. Well this is a Vietnamese poem/song kids sing while playing a game called ‘O An Quan (O Anh Whan).’ 'O An Quan' is a Vietnamese traditional game that I play with my friends.

     No one knows who invented 'O An Quan'. We only know that it is inspired by a game called Mancala which was believed to be originated in Sumeria a part of Mesopotamia (now known as Iraq.) But O An Quan is smaller and easier to carry, this game was to be played on rice fields when farmers were having their break. These days kid everywhere play it.

     Rules of 'O An Quan' are very simple. There are two player needed for the game. The board is on the picture above and on each square there would be five beads. The two players will do rock paper scissors and the winner will go first. He/she will pick up the beads in any squares on their side and drop the beads in one direction (drop one bead for each square) until there is no more bead left. If next to the last place you drop is another square with beads on it then take those beads and go just like how I mentioned. If next to you is the semicircle then it will be the next player's turn. If next to you is an empty box then tap that box and take all the beads in the next box out of the game because it is yours now. The game will end when the two rulers get eaten. You will get all the beads on your side of the board and start counting all of them. Be sure that one bead equals one point and the ruler is equal to ten points.

     I promise you, when you get the hang of it, you will love it! Since this is a Vietnamese game you may not find it in shops but you can make it yourself by cutting a piece of paper into a board and use pebbles to play. In my point of view 'O An Quan' is easy to learn, no need for lots of players, but you can have loads of fun.