Objective of the Game
Kulami is a strategic abstract board game for two players. The objective of the game is to score as many points as possible by placing rows of marbles on the game boards and gaining control of individual board segments.
Components
- Several rectangular wooden boards of different sizes and shapes, each with small indentations indicating spaces for the marbles.
- A set of red marbles and a set of black marbles.
Setup
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Assembling the Game Board: The wooden boards are arranged in a 6x6 grid. The exact configuration can vary, but the total layout should comprise 6x6 indentations.
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Starting Setup: Players decide which color (red or black) they will play. Each player takes all the marbles of their chosen color.
Gameplay
The game is played in turns. A turn consists of:
- Placing a Marble: The player places one of their marbles in any free indentation on the board, with the following restrictions:
- The marble cannot be placed on the same board segment as the marble from the previous turn.
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The marble must be placed in the same row (horizontal or vertical) as the marble from the previous turn.
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Scoring Control Points: Once a board segment is completely filled, the player with the most marbles on that segment gains control and scores points equal to the number of indentations on that board.
- If both players have the same number of marbles on a segment, neither player gains control of that segment.
Strategic Considerations
- Planning: Plan your moves ahead to gain control over larger board segments, as they offer more points.
- Blocking: Try to block your opponent by placing marbles in a way that prevents them from controlling strategically important segments.
- Force Move: Remember that not all follow-up moves are equally beneficial for the opponent. Use this rule to your advantage.
Ending the Game
The game ends when no more marbles can be placed on the board. Players then count the points for their controlled segments. The player with the most points wins the game.
Kulami combines strategic planning with variability since the board layout changes each game, providing new challenges every time you play.
