Choko is a traditional game from the Republic of the Gambia in West Africa. It’s a typical two-phase game: place pieces on the board and then move and capture. The unique aspect of Choko is a concept called “Drop Initiative.” This means that in the first phase of the game, a player may choose to switch to movement tactics until the other player chooses to switch back again to the placement phase. The drop initiative offers players a way to respond to their opponent’s initial placement and really change up the game before all the pegs have been placed. A very interesting variation on the usual jump-and-capture strategy game.
