Toguz kumalak is a two-row mancala-style game board from Central Asia, and particularly popular in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It is a well-known game throughout the region, and tournament play is becoming increasingly popular. Boards consist of two rows of nine holes with two stores. The stores are generally placed in the center of the board.
Rules
Players own the store to their right. Nine counters in each hole. A player takes all of the counters from one of the holes in their row and sows them anti-clockwise. The first stone is dropped into the hole that was just emptied, except when there is only one stone, in which case it is moved to the next hole. If the last counter falls into an opponent's hole making this hole have an even number of counters, these counters are captured and placed in the player's store. Otherwise, the turn ends. When the last counter falls into an opponent's hole, making it contain three counters, it is made into a "tuz." A player can only create one tuz per game. The furthest hole to the opponent's right cannot be made a tuz. A tuz cannot be made if the hole opposite it is a tuz. Stones that fall into a tuz are captured by its owner. The game ends when a player cannot move because all of the holes, except the tuz, are empty. The other player claims the remaining counters and the player with the most counters wins.
Origin
Central Asia
Ludeme Description
Toguz Kumalak.lud
Evidence Map
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Sources
Akhmet, S. And B. Zhelezhnyakov. 2005. Mystery of Dastarbasy Caves. Nomad-Kazakhstan 5.
