Bai Khom Game

Bai Khom Game “ល្បែងបាយខុំ” is a popular Khmer game that mostly countryside people often play together during their free time. This game is played by two people, and the Bai Khom has 10 holes for placing the seeds (normally snail shell or fruit seed). These holes must be made in two rows, 5 holes in each row, in the shape of an oval, by digging small holes in the ground or using small bowl instead.

Firstly, they begin with putting 5 seeds in “Kbal Chi Mueng (ក្បាលជីមឿង) hole” and 4 seeds in normal hole. The Kbal Chi​ Mueng hole must have 5 seeds, and the rest must have 4 seeds of equal size, for a total of 42 seeds. The first player must grab the seeds from any hole on their side and drop it one at a time into each hole. If they run out of seeds in one hole, they must take the seeds from the next hole and continue the game. When they run out of seeds in a hole and the next hole is empty, they will grant (in Khmer Si) the seeds in the hole after that empty hole. If they run out of seeds and encounter two empty holes in a row, it is called a “Kwiang (ឃ្វាង)”. Then the second player has to walk the game once. Whoever grant the most seeds is the winner.

Tools

• Bai Khom Hole: There are 10 Baykhum holes. Each player has 5 holes, or so-called a district “Mouy Srok”. Generally, there are four regular holes in front of the player, and a large hole called the​”Kbal Chi Mueng (ក្បាលជីមឿង) hole”, between the two rows of regular holes and to the right. Normally, in rural areas, Baykhum holes are dug on the ground. Baykhum holes can also be drilled into a wooden board. The board can be called a Baykhum board.
• Bai Khom Seeds: Depending on the situation, people can use anything to make Bai Khom seeds, as long as it is easy to play. Bai Khom seeds can be tamarind seeds, gooseberry, snail shells, or pebbles, etc. Usually, 42 seeds are used, namely 4 seeds per regular hole and 5 seeds per Kbal Chi Mueng hole. However, more seeds can be used, depending on the agreement of the two players, or depending on the region or the customs passed down from ancestors.

How to Play

General Rule

First, the seeds are placed in each hole according to the custom. Then, they choose the starter. According to the custom, they must do the rock-paper-scissors and the winner starts the game first.

The game is played by taking seeds from any hole in their area and placing them one by one in the next hole (in any direction) until they run out of seeds. When they run out of balls, there are three possible outcomes.

• First: If the hole after the last hole they dropped into contains seeds, they must take all the seeds in that hole and move on until they win (grant) or draw (Sii or Kwiang).
• Second: If the hole after the last hole they dropped into is empty and there are seeds in the next hole, the player who is playing takes all the seeds din the second hole and then it is the other player’s turn to move. This is called a Sii (meaning grant the seeds).
• Third: If the hole after the last one dropped into is empty for two consecutive holes, it is called a Kwiang. The person who is playing must stop and it is the turn of the other person to run the game.

Continuous Granting or Khuong Sii

In the case where one grants from any hole and the first hole after that hole is empty but the second hole has seeds, the seeds in the second hole are removed after the previous hole. When granting like this, according to tradition, before granting the second hole, one puts his hand in the first hole to confirm that there are no seeds and says Khuong, then the seeds in the second hole are removed and says Sii. That is why it is called Khuong Sii. Commonly, one can grant as many times as he or she wants as long as the hole next to the one granted is empty and the other hole has seeds.

In the case of running out of seeds from one’s side (district or home)

Remember that one can only move when there are seeds in his own side (district). If when it is one’s turn to move and he has no seeds in his side, the other party has the right to move and continues to move until the person who has no seeds in his district has seeds to run the game.

End

When there are few seeds left (4 or less), both sides can agree to divide the seeds according to the actual situation. Sometimes, one side may continue to grant until all the seeds are gone.

Determining the winner and loser

There are at least two ways to determine the winner. First, at the end of a round, the player counts the seeds. The player with the most seeds is the winner. Second, the game continues until one player has fewer seeds than the number of seeds in the Kbal Chi Mueng hole. To play this second method, the player starts a new round by placing the seeds they have granted in the previous round in their own home. If they have more seeds, they keep the extra seeds. If they are short of seeds, they place the seeds in Kbal Chi Mueng hole first, leaving a normal hole. The hole with the missing seeds is called a Dead hole. This dead hole is considered to be empty, meaning that no seeds are added and it is not considered an empty hole to grant. A dead hole is always dead. If a player has a dead hole up to their Kbal Chi Mueng hole, they are the loser.

Penalties

The loser is subject to various penalties as prescribed. One penalty is to put seeds in a regular hole and the loser blow all the balls out of the hole before continuing to the next play.

Education

Not only is it a fun game, but Bai Khom can help players improve their numerical and analytical skills. At the same time, it makes players more focused and intelligent about how to make future profits.

Gallery