Khmer Chess has been called in several names such as Ok / Ouk, Ok Chaktrang, Chaktrang, Chhoeu Trang”អុកចក្រត្រង្គ”. The name Ok is because each party’s purpose is to attack the Sdach in order to win, and when one is about to attack the king, they will say Ok.
However, there is possibility that the play comes to a draw according to the Counting Rules. The rules are to count up to 64 moves base on disadvantaged group’s piece(s) and if the Sdach is not defeated before counted, the game a to declare draw.
Here are the rules:
- 2 Touk left, count 8
- 1 Touk left, count 16
- 1 Ses left, count 64
- 2 Koul left, count 22
- 1 Koul left, count 44
- 1 Trey or Neang left, count 64
- 1 Touk and 1-2 Ses left, count 16
- 1 Touk and 1-2 Koul left, count 16
- 1 Touk and (any) Trey or Neang left, count 16
- 1-2 Ses and 2 Koul left, count 22
- 1 Ses and 1 Koul left, count 44
- 2 Ses and 1 Koul left, count 32
- 1 Ses and (any) Trey or Neang left, count 64
- 2 Ses and (any) Trey or Neang left, count 32
It is a game on an 8 by 8 board (64 sqaures on normally wooden board) with 2 groups of different colors. There are 16 chess pieces of each group as below:
- 1 Sdach or Ang or Khon (King)
- 1 Neang (Queen)
- 2 Koul (Pillar or Bishop)
- 2 Ses (Horses or Knight)
- 2 Touk (Boat or Rook)
- and 8 Trey (Fishes or Pawn) and will become Neang or Trey Bork (Promoted Pawn or Queen) after reaching the oponent territory.
This game is a strategic one for players to be able to successfully protect their kingdom while attacking the opponent. It has been a popular game for improving their thinking ability and intelligence that can be used in many things in daily lives and careers including business and politics. It has been played since early Angkorian era in 800 AD as found on a lot of temples in Cambodia such as Angkorwat and Bayon. Ok is considered national game that a national tournament is held every year known as King Of Chess. The interesting part of the tournament is that in the final battle, players would play in traditional custom as king in ancient time, and the winners get awards and reputation satisfactorily.
