Pente Grammai ("five lines") is an ancient Greek board game described by Roman writers as the most popular game in classical Athens — older than chess by at least a millennium. The exact rules are partially reconstructed from inscriptions and archaeological boards. This implementation follows the most cited reconstruction.
Two players, each with 5 stones — one on each of the five horizontal lines — start from opposite ends. Throw a knucklebone (values 1, 3, 4, or 6) and move one stone forward along its line by that amount. Land exactly on an opponent's stone to capture it, sending it back to its starting square. The middle "sacred line" (hiera gramme) is special: stones resting on it cannot be captured (and captures cannot be made there), but they still move forward like any other stone. A stone on its own starting square is also safe. Move a stone past the far end of its line to bear it off — the first player to bear off all five stones wins.
Partial. Multiple plausible rule sets exist; the exact rules are debated by historians. This implementation uses the most-cited Sweetser reconstruction.
Far simpler — five stones per side and one type of move. Closer in spirit to draughts (checkers) but with a unique sacred-line mechanic.
Mentioned by Sophocles, Aristophanes, and Plato as the most popular game in 5th-century Athens. Boards have been excavated at the Agora and across the ancient Greek world.
5–10 minutes once the rules are familiar.
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