Kalah against the computer
Take all the seeds from one of your pits and sow them one by one counter-clockwise. Whoever has the most seeds in their store at the end wins. The rules follow standard Kalah.
Source: Wikipedia: Kalah – Standardregeln, Varianten Kalah(6,3–6), gelöst (Irving/Donkers/Uiterwijk 2000), Champion-Patent. Updated: .
How it is calculated
Kalah rules
The board has two rows of six pits. Your row is at the bottom and your big pit – the store – is on the right. Each small pit starts with four seeds (adjustable from three to six).
- Sowing: take all the seeds from one of your pits and drop them one by one counter-clockwise into the following pits – including your own store, but never your opponent’s.
- Extra turn: if the last seed lands in your store, you move again.
- Capture: if the last seed lands in an empty pit on your side and the opposite pit contains seeds, those seeds and your last seed go into your store.
- End of game: when all pits on one side are empty, the game ends. Remaining seeds belong to the player on whose side they are. The player with more seeds in their store wins; a draw is possible.
The three computer levels
- Easy: looks one move ahead and often plays at random.
- Medium: searches five moves ahead and always follows extra-turn chains to the end.
- Hard: iterative alpha-beta search up to 14 moves, capped at about 0.7 seconds per move.
Tips
- Count seeds: three seeds in the third pit from the right end exactly in your store – a free extra turn.
- Play extra turns from right to left so you do not break later chains.
- Keep an empty pit opposite a full enemy pit ready – and make sure your opponent cannot do the same to you.
Background
Kalah is a modern member of the large family of sowing games that also includes Oware and Congklak. The board was patented in the USA by William Julius Champion in the 1950s. The versions with three to six seeds per pit have been solved: with perfect play the first player always wins, which is why you can choose who starts.
Storage and privacy
Settings and your record are kept in your browser’s localStorage (key kalaha). Nothing is sent to a server.
More board games: nine men’s morris, checkers and four in a row.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Kalah?
Take all the seeds from one of your pits and sow them one at a time counter-clockwise, including into your store. If the last seed lands in your store, you move again. Most seeds in the store at the end wins.
How many seeds go in each pit?
Traditionally four per pit, 48 seeds in total. More seeds make the game longer and trickier; here you can choose three to six.
When do you capture in Kalah?
When your last seed lands in an empty pit on your side and the opposite pit has seeds. Those seeds plus your last seed go into your store.
What happens when one side is empty?
The game ends at once. The player who still has seeds on their side moves them into their own store, and the stores are counted.
Is Kalah a game of luck?
No, there is no chance involved. The standard versions are even solved: with perfect play the first player always wins.
Sources and legal basis
- Wikipedia: Kalah – Standardregeln, Varianten Kalah(6,3–6), gelöst (Irving/Donkers/Uiterwijk 2000), Champion-Patent
- Wikipedia: Alpha-beta pruning
- MDN: Crypto.getRandomValues()
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