Barsis Rules
Barsis Game Rules
Take a trip down memory lane with Barsis - a historic board game of pawns and shells, now available digitally on Jawaker.
What is Barsis?
Barsis is a traditional Syrian board game played with pawns and cowrie shells. It shares similarities with Ludo but introduces unique movement rules, special throws, and strategic restrictions.
Game Setup
Board
- The game is played on a square cloth board shaped like a cross.
- Each player has 4 pawns (called soldiers / جنود).
- The center of the board is called the Kitchen (Matbakh / المطبخ) — this is the final destination for all pawns.
Cowrie Shells & Throws
Instead of dice, Barsis uses 6 cowrie shells (ودع).
Each shell has two sides:
- Closed side (counts)
Open side (doesn’t count)
- The number of closed shells determines the throw result.
Gameplay
- Move all 4 of your pawns:
- From the base
- Around the board (full cycle)
- Into the Kitchen (Matbakh)
- The first player to get all 4 pawns into the Kitchen wins.
Throws and their results
| Closed Shells | Name | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Shakkeh (شكّه) | Move 6 spaces |
| 1 | Dest (دست) | Move 10 + Khal |
| 2 | — | Move 2 spaces |
| 3 | — | Move 3 spaces |
| 4 | — | Move 4 spaces |
| 5 | Benj / Bnj (بنج) | Move 25 + Khal |
| 6 | Bara (بارا) | Move 12 spaces |
Khal Explained
- Khal = an extra value of 1
- Khal can be used:
- To enter a pawn; has its own entrance spot in the Kitchen
- OR as a separate 1-step move
Special Rolls & Extra Turns
The following rolls are considered special:
- Shakkeh (0)
- Dest (1)
- Benj (5)
- Bara (6)
After a special roll, the player rolls again, this continues until a normal roll (2, 3, or 4) is obtained.
| Standard Entry | Benj Entry | Khal Entry |
|---|---|---|
| A pawn can enter the board only using Dest (1 closed shell). | Benj (5) can also be used to enter a pawn. | Khal may be used to enter a pawn |
| The pawn is placed on the “X” entry square on the player’s left arm of the board. | Entry location: the “/” marked square on the right (east) arm of the board. | The pawn is placed on the last square of the Kitchen path. |
| Khal may also be used as a single-step move (1). |
Safe Squares (X Squares)
- Squares marked with “X” are safe zones.
- Pawns on safe squares cannot be captured
- There are 8 safe squares on the board.
Extra Rules
If a pawn lands on a square occupied by an opponent’s pawn, the opponent pawn is sent back to base (this rule applies only if the square is NOT a safe (X) square)
If two pawns of the same color land on the same square:
They do NOT create a safe stack
They can still be captured
A player must make a move if a legal move exists
You can pass if:
- No valid moves are possible
- There aren’t any pawns are on the board and no Dest or Benj was rolled
- You can pass if you land on a safe square occupied by an opponent
Passing over an opponent pawn is allowed.
Landing on a protected pawn is not allowed.
A pawn must complete one full lap around the board before entering the Kitchen.
The Kitchen path is the tunnel leading to the center, aligned with the player’s base.
When the pawn enters the kitchen, it’s laid down horizontally
A pawn can enter the Kitchen only with the exact number of steps required.
Example: if a pawn is 3 squares away, it must roll exactly 3.
- If a pawn needs 1 step, only Dest or Benj can be used
Winning the Game
The game ends immediately when a player gets all 4 pawns into the Kitchen.