How to Play:
Kalida is a game of strategy, played on a 6x6 grid. Players take turns placing their markers (X or O) on the board.
Goal: Be the first to place five of your markers in a row, column, or diagonal.
Game Controls:
- New Game: Start a fresh game, resetting the board
- Declare Draw: End the current game as a draw (available during active games)
- Reset Scores: Clear all round and match scores (with advanced options if cookies enabled)
Game Modes:
- Human vs Human: Two players take turns with full rule customization
- Level 1 (Basic Rules): AI opponent with fundamental rules only
- Level 2 (+ Bounce Rule): AI opponent with bounce mechanics enabled
- Level 3 (+ Wrap Rule): AI opponent with wrap-around mechanics enabled
- Level 4 (All Rules): AI opponent with all advanced rules enabled
Special Rules (Toggleable):
- Wrap Rule: The board "wraps around" at the edges - left connects to right, top connects to bottom. This allows winning lines to continue from one edge to the opposite edge.
- Bounce Rule: Diagonal lines can "bounce" off board edges to form winning patterns. A bounced diagonal changes direction but continues the line. Up to two bounces are allowed per winning line.
- Missing Teeth Rule: When enabled, winning lines cannot have gaps in straight rows, columns, or main diagonals. Wrap-around lines and "great diagonals" (corner-to-corner) are exempt from this rule.
- Knight Move Rule: When enabled, Player X's second move must follow a chess knight's movement pattern (L-shaped: 2 squares in one direction, then 1 square perpendicular). Valid moves are highlighted with ♘.
Scoring System:
- Round Wins: Each time you win a single game by getting 5 in a row
- Match Victory: First player to reach 8 round wins AND have at least 2 more wins than their opponent
- Matches Won: Overall match victories - the ultimate measure of success
- Example: If the score reaches 8-7, play continues until someone achieves a 2-point lead (like 9-7) or the trailing player catches up
Data Persistence:
- Cookie Storage: With your consent, Kalida can remember your game preferences, scores, and progress between sessions
- What's Saved: Game mode preferences, scoreboard data, rule settings, and tutorial completion status
- Privacy: All data stays on your device and is never sent to any servers
- Control: You can clear all saved data anytime using the Reset button's advanced options
Visual Cues:
- Last Move: Highlighted with a colored border
- Winning Pattern: Animated golden highlighting shows the winning line
- Knight Moves: Valid positions marked with ♘ when required
- AI Thinking: Board overlay indicates when computer is planning
- Bounce Points: Special highlighting shows where diagonals bounce off edges
Strategy Tips:
- Control the center - it offers the most winning opportunities
- Watch for opponent threats and block them when necessary
- When wrap is enabled, edge positions become more valuable
- With bounce enabled, look for complex diagonal patterns
- Try to create multiple threats simultaneously to force wins
Have fun mastering the unique mechanics of Kalida!
