Ayo
Sow seeds, capture 2s and 3s, and crown Ọta — the Yoruba classic, head-to-head.
Free forever · No sign-up · Real-time · Phone & desktop · Read game rules ↓
Ayo on Fate Round follows traditional Ayo Olopon rules for two players online. Twelve houses, four seeds each, sow anti-clockwise around the board — skipping the house you picked up. When your last seed lands in an opponent's house with 2 or 3 seeds, you capture those seeds and any linked opponent houses ahead with 2 or 3. If their row is empty, you must sow into it when possible. When your opponent cannot move, you sweep every seed left on the board. Most captured seeds wins. The winner is Ọta; the loser is Ọpẹ. Three straight wins makes an Ọta champion.
How it works
Join a room
Two players join with their name — the host can play too.
Sow seeds
On your turn, tap one of your houses with seeds. Seeds sow anti-clockwise.
Crown Ọta
Capture the most seeds to win. Mo ki ota, mo ki ope o!
Game rules & how to play
Objective
- Capture more seeds than your opponent by sowing strategically around the board.
- The winner is traditionally called Ọta; the loser is Ọpẹ. Three straight wins makes an Ọta champion.
Board & setup
- 12 houses in two rows of six — one row per player, four seeds in each house (48 total).
- Exactly 2 players. The host can play. Player A opens on the first game; colors swap on rematch.
- Optional per-player clock — Casual (untimed), Ranked (30s), or 3/5/10 minutes each.
How a turn works
- Pick up all seeds from one of your own houses that has seeds.
- Sow anti-clockwise — drop one seed per house, skipping the house you picked up, including into your opponent's row.
- Capture: if your last seed lands in an opponent's house with 2 or 3 seeds, capture those and any linked opponent houses ahead that also have 2 or 3.
- Feeding: if your opponent has no seeds on their row, you must choose a move that sows into their row when one exists.
- Players alternate until a player cannot move — the other player sweeps all seeds still on the board.
Winning
- When your opponent cannot move, you sweep every seed still on the board. Most total captured seeds wins.
- You can also win if your opponent resigns, leaves, or runs out of time.
- A tie is possible if both players finish with 24 seeds each.
Spectators
- Late joiners can watch the match in read-only mode — Ayo is traditionally played with commentary and banter.
- The host can spectate from the Watch tab while managing the room.
Why play on Fate Round
Traditional sowing
Pick up all seeds from one house and sow anti-clockwise — into your opponent's row too.
Capture 2s & 3s
Land your last seed in an opponent house with 2 or 3 seeds — capture linked houses too.
Phone & desktop
Everyone joins from any browser — perfect for group chats.
No sign-up
Create a game and play in seconds — no account needed.
Perfect for
Frequently asked questions
- How many players do you need for Ayo?
- Ayo works with 2 players. Create a game on Fate Round, share the link or code, and everyone joins from their browser — no sign-up required.
- Is Ayo free to play online?
- Yes. Ayo on Fate Round is completely free — no download, no payment, and no account needed. Create a game and start playing in under a minute.
- Can I play Ayo on my phone?
- Yes. Fate Round runs in any mobile browser. Share the room link in your group chat and everyone can play Ayo from their phone or desktop.
- What is Ọta?
- In Yoruba tradition, the winner of an Ayo match is called Ọta. The loser is Ọpẹ. Three consecutive wins makes you an Ọta champion.
- How does capture work?
- If your last sown seed lands in an opponent's house with 2 or 3 seeds, you capture those seeds plus any linked opponent houses ahead that also have 2 or 3. If their row is empty, you must feed them when you can.
- Can I play untimed?
- Yes — choose Casual (no timer) when creating a room. For faster ranked play, pick 30 seconds per player or longer clocks.