If you play a game enough times, specifically if it’s a new concept game, you’ll find cracks in the marble. After a few hundred times, it can be a good thing. Especially if you’re open to criticism or other viewpoints. Well, with me, there’s always room for learning.
Now, let’s discuss Kitunda and one of the central premises other than inviting “Chance” (dice) into the house of “Strategy” (Chess).
One reason why my son, Osjua, and I introduced the “power” and “curse” of one’s “last Kitunda” was to avoid a game piece with the powers of a die to spend the end game running from other players. It could take a long time trying to capture it. So we gave it up to three chances to get into an attacking position with the opportunity to roll the die again. If not, the die (crystal) would self-destruct, eliminating the piece from the game.
Now, let’s begin with our story. I took Kitunda to Montefiore Senior Center in the Bronx to teach and introduce interested parties to the game. After I had a fun time with three other players capturing each other’s Kitunda pieces, it was finally just one other player and myself remaining. He had one Kitunda in the field of play and one Kitunda in the “dugout” (trench). I had one Kitunda in the field of play and one Kitunda in the “dugout.”
He spent five to seven minutes “running” from place to place. He wasn’t thinking about confronting my Kitunda. Even as other seniors watching called him a coward and chump, he smiled, enjoying the chase. I was so used to facing players willing to battle it out. Well, let’s say this was a new experience. While keeping his last Kitunda in the dugout, the Kitunda in the field of play could run around like a Chess King on steroids.
I brought my last Kitunda out from the dugout. Placed it into an attack position to his piece but adjacent to my other piece to increase the defensive odds. He took the bait and captured my Kitunda, and I retaliated with a good roll. Now, he had to bring his last Kitunda out; it was a great one-on-one bout.
If you want to know how the game ended, get your own game and experience the suspense.
His time spent running from me was an eye-opener, and thanks to his gallivanting about the board, we augmented the rules:
When you have one Kitunda in the field of play, you have three moves to place it into an attack position to another Kitunda piece. Either you put it where it can be defended by a Kitunda in your trench, or you bring another Kitunda into the field of play. Your Kitunda is removed from the playing field if you can't achieve it.