How to Play Yoté
Yoté is played in Senegal, Gambia and Guinea in holes dug in the ground with sticks and stones. Its signature is the double capture: every jump also costs the victim a second piece anywhere on the board, so material swings fast.
The board and pieces
A 5×6 board. Twelve pieces each, all starting in hand. White moves first.
Your turn
Do exactly one of these:
- Place a piece from your hand on any empty square.
- Step a piece one square up, down, left or right to an empty square.
- Jump an adjacent enemy piece (orthogonally) to the empty square directly beyond, removing it. Then remove any other enemy piece from the board as a bonus (when one exists).
Ending
A player with no pieces left on the board or in hand loses, as does a player with no legal move. Fifty moves without a capture is a draw.
Playing on kawu
Tap an empty square to place; tap a piece then a square to step or jump; after a jump, tap the enemy piece to take as the bonus. Hint shows the hard computer's choice. Play either colour against three levels, or two players on one device.
Next: Yoté strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to place all my pieces before moving?
No. Any turn may be a placement, a step or a jump, as long as you still have pieces in hand to place. Pieces kept in hand are safe reserves.
Can I jump several pieces in one move?
No. One jump per turn, over one adjacent enemy to the empty square directly beyond. The reward is the bonus: after the jump you remove any other enemy piece from the board.
What if I jump the last enemy piece?
There is nothing to take as a bonus. If the opponent also has no pieces in hand, you have won; otherwise they place from their hand and play on.
Last updated 2026-10-21