Beijing, 25 October. A tournament and master class in togyzkumalak, the Kazakh national game of strategy, were held at the Kazakhstan Cultural Centre in Beijing to mark Republic Day, Kazinform's own correspondent reported.
Thirty-two people took part, only two of them citizens of Kazakhstan. The winner was a 13-year-old Kazakh participant. Second and third places went to students of China's Minzu University. The event was also announced by the Ministry of Information and Social Development.
The name of the game is made up of two Kazakh words: "togyz", meaning "nine", and "kumalak", meaning "pellets" or "small balls". The number refers to the board: each of the two players has nine pits, into which the stones, or kumalaks, are distributed, so the game is built on counting and calculating moves.
The make-up of the field shows that the tournament drew mainly a local audience: there were two Kazakhs to 30 other players.
What it means: For Republic Day, Kazakhstan promoted its national game in China among local residents and students rather than among compatriots. The victory nonetheless went to a Kazakh schoolboy.
Who benefits: Kazakhstan's cultural diplomacy in China gains new players and interest in the language; the togyzkumalak federation sees the game spread geographically.
Background: The Kazakhstan Cultural Centre in Beijing holds events for national holidays; the togyzkumalak tournament took place on the day Kazakhstan marked Republic Day.
