Overview
Surakarta is a traditional Indonesian strategy game named after a city in Java. Its unique feature is the capture mechanism: pieces capture by traveling along curved loops (arcs) in the corners of the board, making it unlike any other abstract strategy game.
History
Surakarta is named after the city of Surakarta (Solo) in Central Java, Indonesia. The game's origin and age are uncertain, but it has been played in Java for generations.
Strategy
Positioning near arcs gives you more capture opportunities.
Keep pieces defended
Isolated pieces are vulnerable to arc attacks.
Look for long capture paths that your opponent might miss.
Control the center and the arc entry/exit points.
Avoid leaving pieces in straight lines connected by arcs.
Study the arc patterns to visualize possible capture routes.
Sometimes a seemingly safe piece is vulnerable from a distant arc.
Frequently asked questions
Capture all of your opponent's pieces.