ТоғызқұмалақTogyzqumalaq

A Central Asian Mancala Game

Víktor Bautista i Roca

Тоғызқұмалақ

Togyzqumalaq is a traditional mancala game Togyzqumalaq is a traditional mancala game played in Central Asia:played in Central Asia: KazakhstanKazakhstan KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan TajikistanTajikistan UzbekistanUzbekistan TurkmenistanTurkmenistan parts of Russiaparts of Russia

(Altay, Khakassia, Tuva, Karachay-Cherkessia)(Altay, Khakassia, Tuva, Karachay-Cherkessia) Western MongoliaWestern Mongolia in China in regions close to the aforementioned in China in regions close to the aforementioned

countriescountries

Where is it played

Names

Тоғызқұмалақ (Kazakh)Тоғызқұмалақ (Kazakh) Toğızqumalaq, toghyzqumalaq or togyzqumalaq Toğızqumalaq, toghyzqumalaq or togyzqumalaq

(Kazakh, different transliterations)(Kazakh, different transliterations) Togus kumalak (German sources)Togus kumalak (German sources) Тогуз кумалак (Russian)Тогуз кумалак (Russian) Toguz kumalak, togyz kumalak (English sources)Toguz kumalak, togyz kumalak (English sources) Dokuz kumalak (Turkish)Dokuz kumalak (Turkish)

Toguz korgool (Kyrgyz)Toguz korgool (Kyrgyz) Тогуз коргоол (Kyrgyz, cyrillic script)Тогуз коргоол (Kyrgyz, cyrillic script) Dokuz korgol (Turkish)Dokuz korgol (Turkish)

Origin

Some Kazakh people say:Some Kazakh people say: Mongol origin, from the Golden HordeMongol origin, from the Golden Horde

The book The book Laws of TogyzkumalakLaws of Togyzkumalak ““According to archaeologists the game was According to archaeologists the game was

invented about 4000 years ago by our ancestors invented about 4000 years ago by our ancestors who highlighted the intellectual development of a who highlighted the intellectual development of a growing generation along with a physical growing generation along with a physical training.”training.”

My guess:My guess: through silk road and / orthrough silk road and / or with Islam (8with Islam (8thth century, central Asia, 14 century, central Asia, 14 thth century, century,

Golden Horde)Golden Horde)

Golden Horde

Old stone board

This board is said to be older than 500 years This board is said to be older than 500 years

Prestige

In Kazakhstan it is considered the national In Kazakhstan it is considered the national gamegame It is promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and It is promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and

Sports (Comitee of Sports Affairs)Sports (Comitee of Sports Affairs) There is an official Togyzqumalaq FederationThere is an official Togyzqumalaq Federation

Tournaments

Kazakhstan:Kazakhstan: Aktau, Aktobe, Almaty, Arys, Astana, Kostanai, Aktau, Aktobe, Almaty, Arys, Astana, Kostanai,

Kyzylorda, Pavlodar, Shymkent, Stepnogorsk, Kyzylorda, Pavlodar, Shymkent, Stepnogorsk, Taldyqorgan, Taraz, TürkistanTaldyqorgan, Taraz, Türkistan

Kyrgyzstan:Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek, Cholpan-AtaBishkek, Cholpan-Ata

Russia (Altay, Khakassia, Chelyabinsk, Russia (Altay, Khakassia, Chelyabinsk, Tuva, Tatarstan) Tuva, Tatarstan)

Uzbekistan (Karakalpakstan) Uzbekistan (Karakalpakstan) MongoliaMongolia ChinaChina

Kazakhstan tournaments

From 1974, individual championship of the From 1974, individual championship of the Republic of KazakhstanRepublic of Kazakhstan

The ministry of Tourism and Sports holds The ministry of Tourism and Sports holds yearly individual, team, junior and senior yearly individual, team, junior and senior championships of the Republic of championships of the Republic of KazakhstanKazakhstan

From 1998, Cup of the President of the From 1998, Cup of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.Republic of Kazakhstan. International competition, with participants from International competition, with participants from

Mongolia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and UzbekistanMongolia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan Festival Middle Asia and KazakhstanFestival Middle Asia and Kazakhstan

Tournaments - Images

Titles and degrees

5 sports degrees5 sports degrees 11stst, 2, 2ndnd, 3, 3rdrd, 4, 4thth and candidate Master of Sports and candidate Master of Sports

2 titles2 titles Master of Sports of International classMaster of Sports of International class Master of Sports of the Republic of KazakhstanMaster of Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Elo systemElo system

Rules – The “orda” board

2 rows, 9 holes (otau) per row2 rows, 9 holes (otau) per row Each player owns a rowEach player owns a row

2 deposits (kazan)2 deposits (kazan) Each player owns oneEach player owns one

9 balls (qumalaq) per hole9 balls (qumalaq) per hole

Rules - Moving

The player takes all the balls of a hole on his The player takes all the balls of a hole on his side, and distribute them anticlockwise, one side, and distribute them anticlockwise, one per hole, on the following holes, starting per hole, on the following holes, starting from the very same hole he took them from.from the very same hole he took them from.

Rules – Moving a singleton

If the movement is done from a hole with just If the movement is done from a hole with just a single ball, it is moved to the next hole. It a single ball, it is moved to the next hole. It is the only case the starting hole becomes is the only case the starting hole becomes empty.empty.

Rules – Capturing

If the last ball falls into a hole on the other If the last ball falls into a hole on the other side, and the contents of this hole become side, and the contents of this hole become an even number of balls, these are captured an even number of balls, these are captured and stored on the player's kazan.and stored on the player's kazan.

Rules - Tuzdyq

If the last ball falls into a hole on the opponent's If the last ball falls into a hole on the opponent's side, and the contents of this hole number side, and the contents of this hole number then three balls, the hole becomes your then three balls, the hole becomes your тұздық (tuzdyq) and it is marked as such.тұздық (tuzdyq) and it is marked as such.

Rules – About the tuzdyq

Only a tuzdyq per player can be madeOnly a tuzdyq per player can be made A tuzdyq cannot be done on the opponent's A tuzdyq cannot be done on the opponent's

last hole (9last hole (9thth, the one on his right). , the one on his right). A tuzdyq cannot be done if it is symmetrical A tuzdyq cannot be done if it is symmetrical

to the opponent's one to the opponent's one When a tuzdyq cannot be done, we can When a tuzdyq cannot be done, we can

finish a movement there, but the hole does finish a movement there, but the hole does not become a tuzdyqnot become a tuzdyq

A movement cannot begin from a tuzdyqA movement cannot begin from a tuzdyq The balls that fall into a tuzdyq are captured The balls that fall into a tuzdyq are captured

by its owner.by its owner.

Rules – End of the game

The game ends when a player cannot move The game ends when a player cannot move at his turn (atsyrau)at his turn (atsyrau)

Both players add the contents of their tuzdyq Both players add the contents of their tuzdyq to their kazanto their kazan

The player who has still balls on his side gets The player who has still balls on his side gets them and adds them to his kazan them and adds them to his kazan

The winner is the player with more balls at The winner is the player with more balls at the end of the game. If both players have the end of the game. If both players have captured 81 balls, the game is a drawcaptured 81 balls, the game is a draw

The game can also end if a player has The game can also end if a player has captured more than 81 ballscaptured more than 81 balls

Related games

Бестемщі (bestemshe or bestemshshi) Бестемщі (bestemshe or bestemshshi) togyzqumalaq played in a 2x5 board, with 5 balls togyzqumalaq played in a 2x5 board, with 5 balls

per holeper hole Қоздату (kozdatu)Қоздату (kozdatu)

togyzqumalaq played in a 2x7 board, with 7 balls togyzqumalaq played in a 2x7 board, with 7 balls per holeper hole

Similar games

Adji-boto (Surinam, Herskovits 1929, 1932)Adji-boto (Surinam, Herskovits 1929, 1932) Same sowingSame sowing

Tihbat (Morocco, Kinast 2007)Tihbat (Morocco, Kinast 2007) Same sowing; capturing 2, 4, 6 or 8 on any sideSame sowing; capturing 2, 4, 6 or 8 on any side

Um dyar (Western Sahara, Mauritania, Béart Um dyar (Western Sahara, Mauritania, Béart 1955, Pinto Cebrián 1999)1955, Pinto Cebrián 1999) Same sowing; capturing even numbers, not Same sowing; capturing even numbers, not

greater than the initial ammount, any side. greater than the initial ammount, any side. Zacoc / Hefari (Morocco, Bautista i Roca)Zacoc / Hefari (Morocco, Bautista i Roca)

Same sowing; capturing even numbers, any sideSame sowing; capturing even numbers, any sidePıPıç ç (Turkey, Metin And 1979)(Turkey, Metin And 1979)

Same sowing; capturing holes by 3sSame sowing; capturing holes by 3s

Board design

Section Section numbersnumbers

Ten balls Ten balls markmark

Odd / evenOdd / even

The board – Initial position

Initial positionInitial position

The board – Possible moves

South:South: 1212 2323 36x (13)36x (13) 4242 5252 8989 91 (12)91 (12)

North:North: 1212 28 (27)28 (27) 31 (27)31 (27) 4646 5454 6767 7979 8181 9292

Thanks

I'd like to thankI'd like to thank Maksat Shotayev (Максат Шотаев)Maksat Shotayev (Максат Шотаев) Aynur JhakapbayevaAynur Jhakapbayeva Khakimjan EleusinovKhakimjan Eleusinov Asel DalyevaAsel Dalyeva

That's all, foks!

Any question?Any question?

Let's play!Let's play!