Talk:Mak-yek

May 2017

I would like to request the help of other editors in improving this article be it actively editing the article or offering suggestions. First and foremost, can someone create a diagram of the Mak-yek board and the pieces in their starting positions in the Setup section, or wherever you think it's appropriate. If anyone wants to take it further, you can provide diagrams for movement ability (the pieces move as in the Rook of Chess), and custodian and intervention captures in the Rules section or wherever you think it is appropriate.

I've included a Variants section which includes Apit-Sodok, Rek, Min Rek Chanh, and also the Mak-yek hunt game variant (which isn't actually a variant of the regular Mak-yek game, but it is nonetheless termed Mak-yek). I've described to some detail each of the games except for Min Rek Chanh since the one source I have for it does not explain the rules well. Until I can find a more clear and detail explanation of the rules, I'm afraid I can't add much to it. I was thinking of creating separate articles for each game, but since they are closely related, I thought it would be better to put them in one article. It would be better and more fair if the article wasn't named Mak-yek as it seems biased toward this particular variant, but there is no name for these group of games. But the other reason why I prefer to put all these closely related games in one article is because it allows people to compare the games rather than having to flip from one article to another. It gives a general overview of these type of games rather than an isolated one reinforcing the notion that they are related. It also avoids us from having to create and improve so many articles, so it's a matter of efficiency and economy. But if anyone thinks that creating separate articles is better, then I can do it or if anyone else wants to do it, feel free to do so. Lastly, it also introduces readers to a variety of these games which is not only interesting but informative, and it may suggest a historical and geographical context to the development of these games. If anyone cares to put diagrams for any of these games, feel free to do so also.

Last but not least, I hope the Classification section is written to everyone's approval. If not, please feel free to make edits or offer suggestions. My goal in the Classification section is to show that Mak-yek, Apit-sodok, Rek, and Min Rek Chanh are closely related as they all use an 8 x 8 uncheckered square board with 16 pieces to each player, and they all exhibit custodian capture (of some type) and intervention capture, and have orthogonal movement of pieces similar to the Rook in Chess (with the exception of the kings in Min Rek Chanh which can make orthogonal movements, but only one square at a time), and that captured pieces are removed immediately from the board (as oppose to being converted to the capturing player's pieces as in Ming Mang). These common characteristics collectively set them apart from the other related games and therefore they may form a subfamily within the family of games that also includes Jul-Gonu, Hasami shogi, Dai hasami shogi, Ming Mang, Gundru, Seega, Ludus latrunculorum, Petteia, and Firdawsi’s Nard. Unfortunately, I don't have a source to support this, but it's by logical deduction that they form a subfamily. I'm not sure if that's good enough. And if it isn't, please make constructive edits or suggestions. I hope that listing all these game relatives isn't overdoing it. My goal is to create a general perspective as to where these games fit, and provide some kind of a classification scheme which may also point to a historical development of these games.

Any other thoughts, suggestions, and criticisms are welcome, especially criticisms as I would like to really see this article move out of the stub class status into at least a starter class, and eventually higher status classes. Aamma58 (talk) 08:43, 16 May 2017 (UTC)

Thanks for your work on the article. I've added a few diagrams using Template:Chess diagram. It's not ideal, but I substituted pawn icons for the pieces. I actually didn't realise before that the game uses sixteen pieces for each player. In fact, I couldn't find any readily available modern Thai sources about mak-yek at all, save an entry in the dictionary. I've only seen the modern variant called หมากหนีบ (mak nip) which has eight pieces for each player. --Paul_012 (talk) 16:20, 16 May 2017 (UTC)

Thank you very much for putting up the diagrams. I appreciate the fast response. Now I know also how to make diagrams for square board games. I did a quick search on หมากหนีบ (mak nip), and came up empty. The closest thing I found was an Othello variant with a circular board. I came up with Go games also. But I didn't come up with a game that has 8 pieces for each player resembling Mak-yek. Could you provide me a link for it, I would really appreciate it. I'm interested in all games related to this family. Thank you. Aamma58 (talk) 17:19, 16 May 2017 (UTC)

I couldn't find any reliable sources—it's doesn't appear to be that common a game—but there are some videos on Youtube[1] and several software versions (try searching Google with the spelling Makneeb). --Paul_012 (talk) 21:28, 16 May 2017 (UTC)

Yeah it seems to exist. Thank you. I'll be looking into it more, and maybe write something up about it.Aamma58 (talk) 23:14, 16 May 2017 (UTC) Aamma58