Description

This game is best played in a largish area with the competitors sitting in a circle on the floor. A plastic basket containing a coiled 'snake' is placed in the center of the players. The 'snake' consists of a large, material-covered spring with a plastic head on one end. The basket has a number of holes, one of which will activate the latch on the basket and release the snake.

Players select a colored Swami & place it in position at the base of the basket closest to them. During the game, players are not permitted to move their hands away from their Swami unless it is their turn or their name is called during play.

Players start the game with 5 snake tokens each. A turn consists of paying a token into the 'snake pit', calling out an opponent's name and pressing a hole in the basket.

If nothing happens, the player can elect to continue their turn for as long as they want, rotating the basket, pressing successive holes & calling out an opponent's name each time, paying a snake token into the snake pit before each press. Whenever a player manages to get rid of all their snake tokens, they take a ruby from the 'treasure trove' and a fresh set of 5 snake tokens from the snake pit. A player may end their turn at any time without having released the snake.

If the snake is released, the relevant opponent must catch the snake or they are penalized - they must return one ruby to the treasure trove or take 5 snake tokens from the snake pit if they have no rubies.

If the snake is successfully caught, the caller must give the opponent one of their own rubies. If no ruby is owned, the opponent gives the caller all the snake tokens they currently hold and - since they now have no more snake tokens - they take a ruby from the 'treasure trove' and a fresh set of 5 snake tokens from the snake pit.

Any player who erroneously attempts to catch the snake or otherwise removes their hands from their Swami at an unauthorized time during play is penalized. They receive a snake token from each of their opponents.

The first player with 5 rubies is the winner.