One pin or an adjacent pair
A legal move knocks down one standing pin anywhere, or two pins that are both standing and next to one another. Pins separated by an earlier gap cannot be removed as a pair.
Kayles
Make the final legal pin removal by splitting the standing row into favorable segments.
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How to play
Make the final legal pin removal by splitting the standing row into favorable segments.
- Choose any standing pin to remove it alone.
- Alternatively, remove two standing pins when they are adjacent.
- Alternate turns until no standing pins remain; the last mover wins.
Strategy tips
- A central move splits one row into two independent subgames.
- Symmetric replies are useful only when the split sizes support them.
- Count each remaining segment separately instead of treating the row as one heap.
Complete guide
Rules, scoring, and strategy
Kayles is a row-of-pins game. Remove one standing pin or two adjacent standing pins; each move may split the row into smaller independent segments, and the final removal wins.
Every gap creates subgames
Once pins fall, the surviving runs on either side no longer interact. Their strategic values combine even though the interface still displays one row.
Central moves and symmetry
Opening near the center creates balanced segments, but symmetry alone is not a proof of safety. The lengths and available one-or-two-pin moves determine whether a mirrored response exists.
Read the short segments
Single pins offer one forced move; two adjacent pins may be cleared together; longer runs have several splits. Resolve the parity of small segments before adding another gap to the board.
Questions players ask
Can I remove two separated pins?
No. A two-pin move requires the pins to be adjacent and both still standing.
Do fallen pins return?
No. A pin remains down for the rest of the round.
Who wins a Kayles round?
The player making the final legal removal wins.
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