Shax (board game)

The board used for shax. Pieces are placed on the intersections and players try to get three in a row.

Shax (pronounced /shah/), also known as jar, djelga[citation needed] or mororova[citation needed][clarification needed] in some areas, is a board game played in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia. With its origins dating back centuries, it is still popular today.

The game is usually played by marking a board on the ground, and using stones or sticks as pieces. Shax has had a significant influence on Somali literature, which often mentions gameplay and strategies. In the historical nomadic lifestyle of the Somali people, shax was also utilized as a means of communication between different clans.