So it turns out being bored in Yelahanka does have some uses. No, not saving Sita from Ravana (YELA-hanka – no Sri). It has brought the family closer together (Nam, Dham, Me) and has brought back to us what was lost some decades ago – board games!
Ludo has been desecrated as a mindless game totally dependent on chance. But I would like to disagree. Over several carefully conducted clinical trials of Ludo in an observed setting, I have come to several conclusions:
1. When Nam, Dham & I play – Namrata HAS to lose. No matter where she sits. No matter what colour she chooses. Chance says that she should win won out of 3 matches. This does not happen. She loses after loses after loses. Does this mean that chance/fate/destiny does not favour her? Or that she simply strategizes incorrectly. A little bit of both would be my argument – although more likely to be the first.
2. It’s not random – it’s strategy! Of course, there is strategy involved in Ludo. If you were a soldier moving around squares with the license to kill, would you kill someone if you were vulnerable to attack? I think not. Similarly, with Ludo and its safe havens, homes and attack zones, there is a lot of strategy involved. But the end move, whether you pull the trigger, whether you escape from attack – is dependent on chance. Just like – life!
3. When the four people playing are 2 Indians, 1 Canadian & 1 American – The Canadians and the Americans will be too busy trying to kill each other (and saying “sorry” afterwards – apparently the game is called “sorry” in the ‘West’) that they won’t even notice when the Indians have won the game and walked away. In such a situation, Nam won’t lose.
4. When the four people are Indians – including a Marathi & a Mallu – The Mallu aims to kill and kills eagerly at that. Always the gold digger! The Marathi doesn’t leave his home state (yes, mumbai is yours! blah blah!). My luck seems to depreciate – but Nam’s luck somehow gets better but not extensively. The results of this clinical trial were inconclusive as the participants decided to eat my wonderfully crafted food instead of playing this great game.
5. When you say what you want and you mean it – you get it! … most of the time. In a certain trial, the Canadian, after suffering much loss, decided she couldn’t take it any more. She shouted ‘six’ and threw the ‘die’ into the table with much force – sending the die ricochetting off a glass – and hoo haaa hee – it was a six! Not once, but several deveral times! Similarly, in the trial involving the eager-to-kill Mallu, when the Mallu needed a three to kill and said ‘three’ right before rolling – he got it! When he needed 5 to kill and said ‘five’ right before rolling – he got it! The Marathi, by this argument, didn’t truly mean what he said when he said ‘six bitch, six’.
6. Elephant poo paper doesn’t smell – Our lovely, pretty Ludo board, dice and blobs are made of elephant poo by a company called Haathi Chaap. Poo paper doesn’t smell. However, feedback for Haathi Chaap – your dice aren’t amenable to much rolling – the dots keep falling off! And the blue and green counters look crazily similar – sending fears of colour blindness to your unwitting users. Not good! But otherwise, the Ludo board is very pretty. Elephant profiles, elephant back-files have never looked soo good!
