Camels and Caravans

A single, shining drop of sweat runs down the forehead of the overweight merchant in opulent clothing as he musters the gameboard in front of him. Red and white camels made from soapstone are scattered over the board, a pile of coins in front of both players. The hawkish looking man opposite of him grins , settles back in the oppulent pillows and strokes his long black beard with one hand, full of confidence. "Your turn," he says, his voice smooth as silk. "And don't forget what's at stake.""   Camels and Caravans, also known as Amar'abir, is a traditional game that has been played for centuries. It is a game of commerce, conflict, and cleverness. Many disputes have been settled over a game and almost as many have started this way. Cautionary tales of riches lost and almost as many of clever heroes outsmarting the rich and famous are told by flickering campfires and in children's rooms all over the country.
Played on a checkered board, often made from craftfully composed ivory (or laquered wood for the poorer people), the traditional red and white checkered board can be found in almost every household.

The goal is to form a long line of tokens without being crossed by the other player's tokens. Players take turns placing their camels on the board, each of which costs a single coin. After each turn, players are paid out coins equal to the length of their caravans. The player with the most money at the end of the agreed-upon number of turns wins.
That in itself is complicated enough, however - traderoutes can be bought out by paying twice the price in length for them. One would be wise not to put all of his camels in one caravan. Or he might just loose everything in one swoop.