Toguz Korgol (Toguz Kumalak)

Toguz Korgool (or Toguz Kumalak) — nine balls — is an ancient Kyrgyz tabletop game that somewhat resembles chess. It is played by two people. The game board, made of wood and oval in shape, has two small depressions in the middle (the cauldron) and 18 smaller holes located along the edges (nine on each side). Each of the 9 holes is numbered (from left to right). In ancient times, each hole had its own name:

— at otpos (impassable for the knight)
— tekildek uy (fast cow)
— daly (shovel)
— kok moyun (blue neck)
— bel (lower back)
— zhaman uy (bad cow)
— eki tish uy (two-toothed cow)
— tel uy (well-fed cow)
— kuyruk uy (tailed cow)

Of course, in different regions, these names had their own variations.

Players sit opposite each other. Each receives 81 balls (or equally sized stones) and places them 9 in each hole. In the past, Toguz Korgool was played without a board; the depressions were made in the ground, and dry sheep dung served as the balls ("korgool"). Apparently, this is where the name of the game comes from.

The right to start the game is determined by a draw. The first move is made from any hole except hole No. 1.
A game of Toguz Korgool consists of a series of alternating moves. A move involves a player taking balls from any of their holes and distributing them one by one, starting from that same hole, first into their holes from left to right, then, if the balls are not exhausted, again into their holes from left to right, and so on. Thus, the holes are traversed counterclockwise regardless of whose turn it is.

Exception: during the game, there may be only one ball in a particular hole. In this case, at the player's discretion, a move can be made from that hole, meaning the ball is moved to the adjacent hole on the right.

If the last ball lands in any opponent's hole and the number of balls in it becomes even, the player who made the move takes all the balls from that hole and places them in their cauldron.

During the distribution, it may happen that the last ball lands in an opponent's hole and the number of balls in it becomes odd, or it lands in any of their own holes. In this case, the move is considered without a gain.

If during the game, in any (but not the ninth!) of the opponent's holes there are two balls, and the last ball during distribution lands in such a hole, the player who made the move takes all three balls from that hole into their cauldron, and that hole is given a special name — "ace." It is usually marked by throwing a piece of paper, a coin, or a scrap of bright fabric into it. From then on, all balls that land in this hole, regardless of who made the move, are taken into the cauldron of the player who declared it an ace. Each player is allowed to declare only one ace on the opponent's side. Opponents must not have aces in holes with the same number.

The power of the ace lies not only in the fact that it increases the total number of balls won. The ace is also strong because it sharply reduces the total number of possible moves for the opponent and disrupts the interaction of their balls. Therefore, players often strive to win an ace by sacrificing balls.

If during the game one of the players has all their holes empty and it is their turn, the game is considered finished, and the balls remaining in the holes are taken by the opponent into their cauldron, after which each counts their balls. The player who has collected more than 81 balls in their cauldron is considered the winner. The game ends in a draw if each opponent has collected 81 balls.



In Toguz Korgool, there exists a peculiar and quite complex game strategy.

To play successfully, it is important to be able to calculate the number of the hole into which the last of the distributed balls lands during one's own turn and the opponent's turn.

Correct calculation of moves allows for skillful positional play — creating threats to the opponent and defending oneself, building traps, and making advantageous sacrifices. In such combinations, participants strive to win as many balls as possible, gaining positional advantage with the ace.

As the struggle continues, the forces of both sides gradually deplete, and the game transitions into the final decisive stage — the end.

At this stage, playing even in simple positions requires great precision. One incorrect move can lead to defeat.