Gol-skuish is a two-player abstract strategy game from India, specifically from Central Provinces, and it was described by H.J.R. Murray in A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess (1952). [1][2] The game belongs to the draughts and Alquerque family as pieces are captured by leaping over them. The board is composed of seven concentric circles divided by three diameters. Gol-skuish belongs to a specific category of games called Indian War-games which include Lau kata kati, Dash-guti, Egara-guti, and Pretwa.[2] At the beginning of every Indian War-game all the pieces are laid out on the board at every intersection point, with the exception of the central point.[2] This forces the first move of the game to be played on the central point, and captured by the second player's piece.[2]
Gol-skuish is a larger version of the game Pretwa.
The board consist of seven concentric circles divided by three diameters which are equally spaced apart from one another (see diagram). This produces 43 intersection points (hereforth called "points"). The three diameters intersect to form the central point of the board. Pieces are situated on the points, and move and capture along the lines of the board.
Each player has 21 pieces. One plays the black pieces, and the other plays the white pieces, however any two colors or distinguishable objects will do. Players choose which color to play, and who starts first.
As indicated by the diagram, each player initially places their 21 pieces on three consecutive radiuses leaving the central point vacant.
Pretwa, Lau kata kati, Dash-guti, Egara-guti, Butterfly (game), Draughts, Alquerque