WEEK 213 - TRAIL, A FAMILY BOARD GAME

Trilha is an old board game that has been part of my family for generations, it is treated as a family heirloom. When the family gets together for any celebration or event, trail players appear, their disputes define the hierarchy of knowledge and sagacity among family leaders, it is an inheritance that is culturally passed on to the children.

The game is apparently very simple, each player starts with 9 pieces, totaling 18 in total, 9 white and 9 black. A draw is made to decide who gets the white pieces to start the game. Alternately, each player positions their pieces on the board trying to form a track, a sequence of three pieces, or trying to prevent the opponent from doing so. Every time you build a track, you remove a piece from your opponent, when someone has 2 pieces, they lose the game. In theory it's simple, but it's an extremely complex game, you must predict moves and try to corner your opponent.

My father me taught when we play this game, we promote family socialization, create a bond of interaction with our ancestors and guarantee an eternal bond in our family. In the past, the winners had family benefits; nowadays, it has become a cultural game that brings joy and fun disputes with "battles" between family members. Their games expose the creativity, skill, strategy, imagination and logical reasoning of the children and adults involved, it is something that promotes personal concentration and exercises mental calculations and strategies.

It is common in our environment to say that pieces are treated as important items in our daily lives, the way we play, treat or sacrifice each piece for a greater benefit, defines a little of our personalities. In my case, I am extremely defensive, I avoid situations where I can lose pieces, even if it leads to victory. It suits my personality a little, I don't like getting rid of personal items, I have a lot of things saved from my childhood.

By the way, I'm the top 1 or 2 in the family, there's only one person who can play on equal terms with me, a cousin from Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, due to distance, our disputes occur annually, the victor is always a mystery. This is a great thing, it creates a moment of anticipation when he visits me or I visit him. Adrenaline and nervousness permeate our matches.

My son is 7 years old and is already an excellent player, competing with adults easily, it may seem simple, but it is one of the ties that unite my family.

All the content, pics and editions are of my authorship.