How to play aLaguLi mane - Saada/Simple Game

Saada Game (Simple Game)

  1. This  is the most popular game played with alaguLi mane.
  2. It takes two to play. A board of 7 pits for each player should have 70 pellets.
  3. 5 pellets should be put in each pit. 7 pits on one side are for one, 7 pits on the other side are for opponent. 
  4. Player 1 – From one pit on their side, they have to move counter-clockwise to the next pit by putting one pellet each. The pellet in the pit next to the vacant pit should be taken and put in all the pits again. 
  5. When the round runs out of pellets, if the next pit is empty, it should be moved once, taking the number of pellets in the house next to it and ending the turn of the player.
  6. Once the hand is empty, the next pit is empty, and the next-to-next pit is empty, the player gets no pellets. 
  7.  The opponent plays the same game as 3, 4, 5. 
  8. In general, when the game is over, one of the sides must run out of pellets. Or there should be nuts in a single pit. 
  9. Now again the pellets near them should be divided like 5-5 pellets from one side. If a player has only enough pieces to place on 5 houses, the opponent must also place pieces on the same pit. He should keep the rest of the nuts close to him. Eg: After a round of simple play, let's say player 1 has 26 pellets and player 2 has 44 pellets. Player 1 simply places 5 pellets into 5 pits and keeps one pellet with him. Player 2 also puts 5 pellets into 5 pits and keeps the remaining 19 pellets with him. 
  10. Now the winner plays the game again like 3, 4, 5, until the game is over. 
  11. By playing like this, all the pieces should come close to each other. As they win!
  12. Sometimes the game ends in 5-10 minutes. Sometimes it drags on for hours. 

Note:   This game is played with 4 pieces in North Karnataka, 5 pieces in Mysore, Dakshina Kannada and coastal areas, 6 pieces in Tamil Nadu and Andhra side. 

 

Reference

maNe  – A wooden (typically) board with 5-7 pits. It can actually be wood, brass, stone. In most boards, with 7 on both sides, there will be a total of 14 beads.

Guli  – regional names for pits. Also called Guntalu, Kuli, Gotu, Guni, Halla  

Pegga  - Perga. Accumulated pellets.