Sho (board game)
Tibetan race game played with dice, shells, and coins.
Sho (Tibetan: ཤོ) is a traditional race game from Tibet that remains popular today. The word *sho* simply means "dice" in Tibetan. It is traditionally played for money, and only by men. The game accommodates two to four players, with three being the most common number. When four play, they usually form two teams of two, with partners seated opposite each other.
The "board" is a circular line of shells, typically sixty-four in number. Each player or team has nine identical playing pieces, usually old coins, which must be stackable. Two six-sided dice are used, shaken in a wooden cup and slammed onto a dice pad made of yak leather stuffed with yak wool. This pad sits at the center of the board, inside the circle of shells.
The goal is to be the first to move all nine coins from the start to the end of the board. The shells are arranged in a clockwise spiral around the dice pad. The spaces between the shells are the playing positions, and as coin stacks move, the shells are rearranged to expand or contract the spiral, giving the game a very tactile feel. Each position can hold coins from only one player. A stack of coins moves as a single unit. Stacks can be increased but never reduced; a stack is destroyed if kicked out, sending all its coins back to the start.
Players take turns throwing the dice. The player chooses which coin or stack to move forward by the total number shown on the dice (e.g., rolls of 4+2, 5+1, or 3+3 all count as 6). There are four outcomes when a coin or stack lands on a target position: - If vacant, the player places their coin or stack there. - If occupied by the same player's coins, they stack their coins onto it, making a larger stack. - If occupied by an opponent's stack with an equal or smaller number of coins, the player kills that stack, sends those coins back to the start, and occupies the position. - If occupied by an opponent's stack with more coins, the player cannot move that piece.
If the player cannot move, or simply places a coin in a vacant space, play passes clockwise. However, if they stack or kill, they roll again and move again. This continues until they can only place or cannot move, allowing game-changing sequences with luck.
The only special dice roll is (1,1), called *pa ra* in Tibetan. This lets the player roll again before moving and then choose from a selection of move values. For example, rolling (1,1) t
- Type
- Race game
- Players
- 2–4 (most common: 3)
- Equipment
- 64 shells, 9 coins per player, 2 six-sided dice, wooden dice cup, yak-leather dice pad
- Origin
- Tibet
- Also known as
- Sho (Tibetan for 'dice')
Lore & Background
The board of Sho is formed by a circular line of shells, typically sixty-four in number. Each player or team has nine identical playing pieces, usually old coins, which must be stackable. Two six-sided dice are used, placed in a wooden dice cup that is shaken and slammed onto a dice pad made of yak leather stuffed with yak wool, which forms the center of the board within the circle of shells. The shells are arranged in a clockwise spiral around the pad, and the spaces between shells are the playing positions. As coin stacks move, the shells are rearranged to expand or contract the spiral, giving the game a tactile feel.
Reader's Guide
Sho is a traditional Tibetan race game that remains popular today. Its significance lies in its cultural role as a gambling game traditionally played by men, often for money. The game's mechanics are distinctive: players move stacks of coins around a dynamic spiral board of shells, with the dice total determining movement. The only special dice roll is (1,1), called 'pa ra,' which allows the player to roll again and choose from multiple move values, sometimes carrying over unused rolls to create moves above the usual maximum of 12. Variants such as 'no niner-stack' and 'six-three' exist among players with personal and traditional preferences. Gambling is common, with the simplest version involving a fixed stake per game placed under the dice pad, the winner taking the combined stakes. Sho's tactile, social, and strategic elements have helped it endure as a living tradition.
Did You Know?
- The name 'Sho' is simply the Tibetan word for 'dice.'
- The board is formed by a circular line of shells, typically sixty-four in number.
- When a stack reaches the end, unused dice pips do not carry over to move another stack; an exact roll is required.
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