Esoteric Game Night!

Come one, come all! Test your luck at esoteric & historic, family-friendly games of chance & skill! Every month at PRS!

PRS Esoteric Game Night!

Come one, come all! Test your luck at esoteric & historic, family-friendly games of chance & skill!

On the third evening of the third week of every moon (third Wednesday of the month) PRS shuffles tarot cards, rolls many-sided dice & advances mystical pieces along ancient gameboard recreations at our monthly community gathering in the bookstore, PRS Esoteric Game Night!

Each month we feature (& play) a family-friendly card, board or parlour game of esoteric or historic note.

This month we will be celebrating our one year anniversary with the long-awaited sequel to one of our most popular nights, the ESP Tournament!

NOVEMBER'S GAME

Kavade Aata

The Cowrie Shells Game

Kavade Aata was a favorite of Indian children & families for ages, but this ancient game of concentration, dexterity & luck, played with just four small cowrie shells, is increasingly seen as old fashioned & slowly vanishing from the culture.

HOW TO PLAY

A number of variations of the Cowrie Shells game exist as many families have their own version, but what follows is a standard set of rules.

The players sit in a circle & the first player is determined by the throw of cowrie shells. The player who casts the most cowrie shells open (mouth up) gets the honor.

The first player tosses the cowrie shells in the air, quickly turns their hand palm-side down & attempts to catch the cowrie shells on the back of their hand. Each shell caught (referred to as a gicchhi) adds 4 points to their score. If you catch all 4, you've already got 16 points. If you drop them all, you lose your turn.

If you catch at least one, your turn continues & you cast the caught shell(s) onto the table with the uncaught shell(s).

If all four shells land open (mouth up), this is called a chauka & all the players try to grab as many of the shells as quickly as they can. Each shell you grab is worth 4 points. The player who threw the chauka then tosses, catches & casts the shells again.

If all four shells land closed (mouth down), it's called a bhaara & the casting player scores 12 points.

If two shells land open & two land closed, the casting player must move aside the open shells without disturbing the closed ones. Then, they attempt to strike, that is flick with their finger, one closed shell against the other. This action is similar to marbles or even closer to paper football. If you manage a successful strike, you score 1 point. If you miss, the turn passes to the next player.

If one shell lands open & three land closed, none of the shells are removed & the player attempts a strike of the nearest pair of closed shells without touching any of the other shells. Again, you earn 1 point for a successful strike.

If three shells land open & one is closed, it is called a mooshi & the turn passes to the next player.

The player with the most points at the end of four rounds wins. The prize is, of course, a Kavade Aata cowrie shell set!

Other games will also be available to play such as The Tarot of Loka, Cat's Cradle, ESP & more.

And yes, you are always welcome to bring your own games to share! Make new friends & shout, "Chauka!"

Tickets: $10 Suggested Donation or RSVP and donate at the door!

Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.

ACCESSIBILITY

PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to events@prs.org before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.

REFUND POLICIES

All sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges for PRS events, except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test.

In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.

PARKING

Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east) and back lot (entry from first alley way, off Griffith Park Blvd. from intersection with Los Feliz Blvd.), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and on Los Feliz Blvd. (after 7pm). We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.

PRS EVENT POLICIES

- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.

The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed by presenters are solely those of the presenter and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Presentations are intended for informational and entertainment purposes.