Wahoo (board game)
Wahoo is a cross and circle board game similar to Parchisi that involves moving a set number of marbles around the board, trying to get them into the safety zone. The game originated in the Appalachian hills. Most boards are used by four to six players. Wahoo has been a popular game for decades. Even today, custom-made boards proliferate on eBay and game manufacturer Parker Brothers has sold their own version of the game, under the title Aggravation, for decades.
Rules
Number of Players: 2 to 6 Object: To be the first player to move all of the player’s individual marbles out of the starting area, around the board, and into home, whether by going the distance or taking a shortcut.
Setting Up: Each player places his marbles in the starting area. After setting up, each player rolls the die. The highest number goes first, then play proceeds to the left. If two or more players roll the same number, they roll again to break the tie.
Die: The die that is being used in the game must be a normal die that has pointed corners. The sides of the die must be about a centimeter long.
Playing: To move a marble out of the Starting Area to the Starting Position, a player must roll a 1 or a 6. The Starting Position is the space just outside, and to the right of, the Home Area. After rolling a 1 or 6 a marble is placed on the Starting Position. If the player rolled a 1 or 6 he is allowed to roll again.
There is no limit to how many extra turns are allowed in regards to this rule. As long as a 1 or 6 is rolled, the player is allowed an extra turn. A player may never land on or pass one of his own marbles. If the number rolled on a player's turn puts him on or ahead of his own marble he must move the one in front.
If a marble lands on a space already occupied by an opponent’s marble, the opponent’s marble goes back to that player's Starting Area. If a player rolls a number that does not allow a marble to be moved, that turn is completed and goes to the next player in the sequence.
Shortcut: In the center of the board, there is an extra hole: this may be used as a shortcut. You have to be on the corner hole close to the middle, then you have to roll a one to get in the middle, then roll another one to get out on the opposite side that you came in.
Winning: The game is won when the first person has all his marbles safely home. The game may be continued to see who gets second place, and so on.
With 4 or 6 players: When four or six people are playing, there are two methods of play. One is partners. When playing partners, players opposite each other are partners. You are allowed to "take out" your partner by landing on his marble, as per regular rules (above), however, usually this is not favorable. When one partner gets all his marbles "home," he then uses his turn(s) to help his partner get his marbles home. The partners assist each other ONLY when one partner is finished. The first pair to get all their marbles "home" wins (regular rules apply). The other method is every man for himself, or "cut-throat." By playing cut-, there are no partners, and no special rules (see normal rules above).