The Kazakh national game · UNESCO heritage
Togyz Kumalak
Nine holes, 162 stones and a game you will want to play again. Play rated games online, against a bot or with a friend on iPhone and iPad.
- holes for each player
- 9
- stones on the board
- 162
- stones to win
- 82
Right here
Make your first move
Tap any of your holes in the bottom row. The stones are sown one by one, just like in a real game.
In the app
The whole game in your phone
- 1
A board that is a pleasure to think on
Touch a hole to preview the move and let go to play it. Stones, kazans and the tuzdyk are always in view, and an illegal move is impossible.
- 2
Teaches you on the board
Six short lessons on real positions: sowing, capture, the tuzdyk, its limits, atsyrau and your first game.
- 3
A review of every game
An advantage graph, the accuracy of both players and the best move in each position. See where the game turned and what would have been stronger.
- 4
Online, against a bot or face to face
Rated matchmaking, games with a friend by short code, four bot levels with no internet needed and two players on one device.
Your taste
Pick your board
Warm wood, felt or calm colours. The interface comes in light and dark too.
In the game
For your first game and your thousandth
Rated online play
Opponents of your strength, a clock kept by the server and a rating that grows with you.
A bot with four levels
From Beginner, who lets you take moves back, to Master at full strength. No internet needed.
With a friend by code
Send your friend a short code and the game begins. The server keeps the clock and checks every move.
Two players, one screen
Pass the phone or sit around one iPad.
Lessons and review
Learn the rules on the board, then see after each game what could have been better.
Three languages
Қазақша, Русский and English. No ads and no third-party analytics.
How to play
The rules in a minute
- 1Each player has nine holes with nine stones in each.
- 2Take the stones from one of your holes and sow them one by one, counter-clockwise.
- 3Did your last stone make an even number on the opponent's side? That hole is yours.
- 4Did it make exactly three? The hole can become your tuzdyk and earn stones until the end of the game.
- 5The first to 82 stones wins.
About the game
What is Togyz Kumalak
Togyz Kumalak (Kazakh: тоғызқұмалақ, also written Togyzqumalaq or Togyzkumalak) is a traditional strategy game of Central Asia from the mancala family. In Kyrgyzstan it is called Toguz Korgool. Two players share a board of 18 holes and two kazans, and whoever gathers more than half of the 162 stones wins.
“Togyz” is Kazakh for “nine”, and “kumalak” means sheep droppings: the steppe's first playing pieces, sown in holes dug in the ground. Today it is a sport with world championships and ranks, and the kumalaks have become smooth stones.
In 2020 UNESCO inscribed the game on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, on a joint nomination by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Togyz Kumalak?
On each move you take all the stones from one of your holes and sow them one by one, counter-clockwise. If your last stone makes an even number in the opponent's hole, those stones go to your kazan. The first to 82 stones wins.
Where can I play Togyz Kumalak online?
In our app for iPhone and iPad: find a rated opponent of your strength or invite a friend with a short code.
What is a tuzdyk?
If your last stone turns 2 into 3 in the opponent's hole, it can become your tuzdyk: everything that falls into it is yours until the end of the game. Each player can have only one.
Can I play without internet?
Yes. The bot, two players on one device and the lessons work offline. Online games, the rating and friends need a connection.
Is it good for beginners?
Yes. Six lessons explain the rules right on the board, and the Beginner bot lets you take moves back.
How is Togyz Kumalak different from Toguz Korgool?
It is the same game with the same board and the same core rules, under its Kazakh and Kyrgyz names. The app lets you choose the look of either tradition.
Is there an Android version?
For now the app is for iPhone and iPad only. An Android version is planned for later.
Nine holes are waiting
Your first game starts in a minute. The board itself will show you the rules.