Shisima

How to play

A Kenyan game whose name means “body of water”, played on an octagon of eight points around a central pool. Your three “water fleas” only move — sliding one step along a line to the empty point. Line up three through the centre to win.

Rules

  • Tap one of your three "water fleas", then a highlighted point to slide it one step to an empty point.
  • There is no placing and no capturing in this game — every move is a simple slide.
  • Line up all three of your fleas on a straight line running through the central pool to win.
  • An extremely long standoff (80 moves) resolves as a draw.

Tips

The centre pool is on every winning line, so seize it and hold it — from the centre you threaten to complete a line in four directions. Block by keeping a flea on the outer point that would complete the AI’s line through the middle.