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Alquerque Handcrafted Genuine Leather Board
Alquerque Board
Alquerque Set Up
Alquerque Playing
Alquerque Pieces

Handcrafted genuine leather board with 5×5 line network, drawstring pouch and playing pieces.

★★★★☆ Historically Documented 1283 Castile & Islamic World

Alquerque

The 13th-Century Ancestor of Modern Checkers

Played on a distinctive 5×5 line network rather than a checkerboard, Alquerque uses movement, jumping and capture in a way that directly shaped the evolution of modern draughts games.

R600.00 Handcrafted in South Africa
Leather Colour: Off White
Drawstring Colour: Black
Playing Pieces: Glass
Genuine leather circular drawstring pouch board with drawstring pouch.
Delivery via Pudo, Paxi, or Aramex (Free delivery on orders over R900).
Complete historical rules and 1283 Alfonso X lineage included.

The Story of Alquerque

Alquerque is one of the most fascinating ancestors of modern Checkers.

The game was known in the medieval Islamic world and became established in Europe. One of its most important surviving records appears in Alfonso X of Castile's famous Book of Games, completed in 1283. The book provides an extraordinary glimpse into the games enjoyed in medieval Europe.

Played on a distinctive 5×5 network rather than a conventional chequerboard, Alquerque uses movement, jumping and capture in a way that reveals its relationship to later draughts games.

Objective

Capture all your opponent's pieces, or leave them unable to make a legal move.

How to Play

  1. Starting Formation: Each player begins with 12 pieces in the traditional starting formation.
  2. Vacant Center: One central point is left vacant at the start of play.
  3. Turn Order: Players take turns moving one piece.
  4. Normal Move: A normal move takes a piece to an adjacent vacant point connected by a line.
  5. Jumping & Capture: If an opposing piece occupies an adjacent connected point and the point beyond it is vacant, you may jump over it and capture it.
  6. Compulsory Captures: Captures are traditionally compulsory.
  7. Multiple Chains: When another capture is available after a jump, the same piece continues capturing. Multiple captures can therefore take place during a single turn.
  8. Victory: The winner is the player who captures all opposing pieces or prevents the opponent from making a legal move.

The Heritage Note

Alquerque is particularly important to The Heritage Game Collection because it forms part of the story of how board games evolved.

The 12-piece form is widely regarded as an important predecessor of later draughts games, although the exact historical development into modern Checkers is more complicated than a simple one-game-to-another progression.

You are not simply playing an old game — you are playing part of the history of Checkers.
Historical accuracy rating: ★★★★☆ (Historically Documented, although some fine details of modern reconstructions vary).

Game Specifications

Players 2 Players
Board 5×5 Alquerque network on genuine leather leather mat
Pieces 12 per player (24 pieces total)
Playing Time Approximately 20–40 minutes
Difficulty Easy to learn / Moderate to master
Historical Confidence ★★★★☆ — historically documented in 1283 Castile manuscript

Artisanal Leather Care

Keep flat or loosely rolled in the protective drawstring pouch. Avoid moisture; wipe gently with a soft dry cloth.