Overview

Bul (also called Buul, Boolik, or Puluc) is a traditional running-fight board game originating in Mesoamerica, known particularly among several of the Maya peoples of Belize and the Guatemalan highlands. It is a war game in which two teams attempt to capture and subsequently “kill” the opposing team’s playing pieces by racing them along a track. The game uses corn kernels as dice.

Components

• 1 linear track (typically a row of spaces drawn or marked, often 10-12 spaces)
• Playing stones for each team (equal number per side, commonly 5-6 per player)
• 4 corn kernel dice (marked black on one side, yellow/natural on the other)

Setup

1. Mark out a linear track of spaces on the playing surface (traditionally drawn on the ground or a board).
2. Each team places their stones at opposite ends of the track — one team’s “base” is at each end.
3. Decide which team goes first.

Turn Structure

Teams alternate turns. On each turn, a player rolls the 4 corn kernel dice and moves one of their stones the corresponding number of spaces toward the enemy base.

Actions

Rolling the Dice:

• Toss the 4 corn kernels. Each kernel lands showing either its black side or its yellow side.
• Count the number of black-side-up kernels:
  • 1 black = move 1 space
  • 2 black = move 2 spaces
  • 3 black = move 3 spaces
  • 4 black = move 4 spaces
  • 0 black (all yellow) = move 5 spaces

Moving a Stone:

• Move one of your stones the number of spaces indicated by the roll, toward the enemy base.
• Stones move along the track in a straight line.

Capturing:

• When a stone lands on the same space as an enemy stone, the enemy stone is captured.
• The captured stone is placed beneath the capturing stone.
• When a stone captures an enemy stone, it immediately reverses direction and begins heading back toward its own base.

Carrying Prisoners:

• A stone carrying captured pieces continues to move normally.
• If a stone carrying prisoners lands on another enemy stone, that stone is also captured and added to the stack.
• If an enemy stone lands on a stone carrying prisoners, the entire stack (captor and all prisoners) is captured — the prisoners are freed and the former captor becomes a prisoner.

Killing Prisoners:

• Once a stone with prisoners reaches its home base, the captured enemy stones are removed from the game (“killed”).
• The victorious stone then re-enters play from its base on a subsequent turn.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when one team has captured and killed all of the opposing team’s stones. That team wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Re-entry: After delivering prisoners to the home base, the stone re-enters play on a future turn, moving again from the base toward the enemy side.
• Reversal on Capture: The moment a stone captures an enemy, it reverses direction. This means a stone deep in enemy territory must travel the entire length of the track back home before prisoners are killed.
• Stack Captures: When an enemy stone lands on a stack (a captor carrying prisoners), the entire stack changes hands. The prisoners are freed and return to their original team’s control, while the former captor becomes a prisoner.
• Team Play: Bul is traditionally played by two teams of equal size (5-6 players per team), with each player controlling one stone. Turns rotate among team members.
• No Passing: Stones cannot pass over or skip spaces occupied by friendly stones in some variants.
• Dice Variants: Some regional variants use different numbers of corn kernels or interpret the dice rolls differently.

Player Reference

Dice Result (black kernels up)	Spaces Moved
0 (all yellow)	5
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4

Capture: Land on enemy stone; captured stone goes under yours Direction: Reverse toward home base after capturing Kill: Deliver prisoners to home base; they are removed from the game Win: Eliminate all enemy stones