What is it?
The smaller circular pits (2×6) are called ambo and the larger oval pits (2×1) are called kalaha. When you first start the game or select
Newfrom the file menu, all ambos and kalahas are empty. You control the six ambos at the bottom of the window.Now, choose the number of balls you want in your (and your oppenent's) ambos in the menu named
Balls. I recommend that you play with six balls. Then choose how intelligent you want your opponent to be. This is done in the menu namedLevel. If you have done everything exactly like I told you, nothing should have happened. It's time to start playing the game.To start playing, select
Beginfrom the game menu or press command-B. The ambos are filled with balls and the kalahas remain empty. If you play with six balls, the window should look something like this:( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( ) ( ) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6) ( 6)Click on one of the ambos you control to pick up the balls and distribute them counter-clockwise around the board, always skipping your opponent's kalaha. If you put the last ball in your own kalaha, then it's your turn again. Otherwise, it's your opponent's turn. If you put a ball in one of your own empty ambos, and the opponent's opposite ambo is NOT empty, you capture the ball in your ambo and the balls in the opponent's ambo.
The game goes on until one of the players run out of balls. The player with the most balls in his kalaha is the winner.
The rules are almost identical to the
Mancalarules. There is one significant difference, however. In this game you can capture balls from your opponent at almost any time. In the Mancala games you capture balls only when the LAST ball goes in one of your empty ambos (often refered to as cups or pits).
Kalaha was first created in 1996. Since the graphics of the current version date from 1998, I have listed it under this year.
