Ball Toss Game with Walls

Have you ever played a thrilling game where you try to protect your own goal while simultaneously trying to hit opponents with the ball? Kaleli Yakan Top is a highly enjoyable traditional game that requires not only fast running but also strategic thinking and teamwork. Let’s explore the world and nuances of this energetic game together!

This game is typically played on a rectangular field measuring 9 by 18 meters, divided in half by a central line. All field lines are marked with 5-centimeter intervals and are considered part of the playing area. The ball used is specially designed: it is made of plastic, weighs approximately 200 grams, measures 14 centimeters in diameter, and is less inflated than a standard ball to prevent injury. Players also wear sports shoes, uniforms, shorts, and knee pads to move comfortably on the field.

Kaleli Yakan Top is played between teams of 12 players, consisting of 8 starters and 4 substitutes. To ensure fair play, the 8 starting players on the field must include 4 girls and 4 boys. Before the game begins, the team captains engage in a chant: “I took, I gave, I defeated you, you cannot take, you cannot defeat me.” The winning team gets to choose whether to start with the ball or with possession of the field.

Each team has one goalkeeper who stands in the “goal” zone on the opponent’s side of the field. The remaining seven players position themselves within their own half. The objective is to eliminate opponents by hitting them with the ball. One of the most important rules is the three-pass rule: a team may make at most three consecutive passes among its own players; the fourth pass must be directed at an opponent. If an opponent catches the thrown ball in the air without letting it touch the ground, the player is not considered hit and play continues.

^{Children Playing Kaleli Yakan Top (Representative Image Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

One of the most unique aspects of this game is that a player who is hit does not leave the game entirely. Instead, the hit player moves to their own team’s goal area and continues to support their team by passing the ball. Even when only one player remains on the field, the goalkeeper joins the game, and play continues until that last player is hit. Stepping on the center line or side lines constitutes a “line violation,” putting the player at risk of being eliminated.

Matches are typically played as best-of-three sets. The team that successfully hits all eight opposing players on the field wins the set. The team that wins two sets wins the match. Each team is granted a limited number of timeouts.