Salpakan! A Filipino Board Game that Seeks to Rival Chess | Traditional Games

Invented in 1970 by Sofronio Pasola, Salpakan or most commonly known as Game of the Generals was first thought of as subversive. It was frowned upon by chess enthusiasts at that time and was thought to be usurping the popularity of chess.

But it withstood the time, and this war-inspired board game is now a game that can be bought in major bookstores and supermarkets and supermarkets. Its enthusiasts are also eyeing to conduct a world series for this interesting board game.

Let me introduce an ingenious Filipino-made board game.

Salpakan or Game of the Generals is played by two opposing players with a neutral third party called an arbiter. The two players are given 21 pieces each, each piece having a hierarchy of rank and functions. The goal of the game is to either eliminate all the pieces of the opponent or have your flag reach the enemy base.

Here are the pieces according to their hierarchy or rank:

5 Star General

• 5 Star General
• 4 Star General
• 3 Star General
• 2 Star General
• 1 Star General
• Colonel
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Major
• Captain
• First Lieutenant
• Second Lieutenant
• Sergeant
• Spy
• Private
• Flag

All the higher-ranking officials eliminate any lower-ranking officials, the Private and the Flag - except the Spy.

The Spy eliminates all officers (meaning from Sergeant up to the 5 Star General, including the Flag)

The Private eliminates the Spy and the Flag

The Flag can be eliminated by any piece including the opponent’s flag. When a flag takes aggressive action by moving into the same time occupied by the opponent’s flag, the aggressor wins the game.

Here are some situational examples:

Here are some situational examples

Colonel vs. Sergeant - the Sergeant is taken out of the board because the Colonel is higher ranking than the Seargeant

4 Star General vs Spy - the 4 Star General is taken out of the board because the Spy eliminates any piece except the Private

Private vs Spy - the Spy is taken out of the board

Flag vs Private - the Flag is taken out of the board and the game is won by the owner of the Private piece

Flag vs Flag - whoever makes the aggressive move wins the game

My experience playing the game

I have attended several sports fest and sports fellowships wherein Salpakan is one of the games held. Since I am not into many physical and contact sports, and Chess bores me a lot, I volunteer to play this game. A game usually lasts 15-30 minutes.

It is fun to play, and the fact that you are trying to outsmart your opponent, and the element of surprise adds to the excitement. It is easy to play - even elementary children and elderly men and women can play this as long as they get the mechanics.

Here are some pictures of us playing Salpakan during our Pastoralympics. That’s me in a red shirt, looking somewhere because I know I’m about to receive my L. Haha!