Q&A for How to Play Kalaha

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  • Question
    Can you still play if you have lost pieces?
    Community Answer
    Yes, just find the appropriate substitute. For example, go outside and find small pebbles or stones.
  • Question
    Can there be three pebbles in only one of the cups?
    Hannah
    Community Answer
    It isn't a good idea to start off with only three pebbles in only one of the cups, as that provides a little bit of disadvantage to either player. Some alternatives if you lost a piece is to find a small substitute or instead make all of the cups have three, taking away one pebble from all of the holes that have four in them.
  • Question
    Do I take another turn when my last pebble is on my side and I put myself and my opponents in the mancala?
    Community Answer
    You take another turn when the last pebble of your hole you pick up ends in your mancala.
  • Question
    When I pick up the stones, do I leave one in the cup that I just took the stones from?
    Community Answer
    No, you take all stones. The objective is to have empty cups and move all the stones to the mancala. You can't have empty cups if you leave a stone in the cup.
  • Question
    If my last stone lands in an empty pot but there's nothing in the opposite pot, do I still get to put the stone in the mandala?
    Community Answer
    No. The rules say: "If the last sown seed lands in an empty house [pot] owned by the player, and the opposite house contains seeds, both the last seed and the opposite seeds are captured and placed into the player's store."
  • Question
    What happens to the pebbles that are left on the other side?
    Community Answer
    The leftover stones go to the player whose side isn't empty.
  • Question
    Do the same rules apply to a version of the game with 8 pits or holes on each side?
    HumbleSolipsist
    Community Answer
    that board may be intended for a different mancala variant. However, you can play kalaha on a larger board with the same rules if you like. On a larger board it would probably be a good idea to use more seeds, perhaps 5 or 6 per pit.
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