- The board has two rows of seven cups ('houses') on each side and a larger compartment ('storehouse') at each end. Players sit facing each other.
- Before the game starts, the 'houses' (1-14) are filled with seven shells each, while the 'storehouses' (A & B) are left empty.
- Both players begin simultaneously by scooping up all the shells in any house on their side. Each drops a shell into the next 'house' and continues clockwise depositing one shell into every house thereafter.
- A player drops a shell into his 'storehouse' each time he passes it but does not deposit any into his opponent's 'storehouse'.
How the game continues, depends on where the last shell of each scoop is deposited.
- IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO THE PLAYER'S OWN 'STOREHOUSE':The player scoops up the shells from any of his 'houses' and distributes them in the cups ('houses') round the board but not in his opponents's 'storehouse'.
- IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO A 'HOUSE' (on either side of the board) CONTAINING SHELLS:The player scoops up all the shells in that 'house' and continues distributing them as described above.
- IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO THE PLAYER'S 'HOUSE' WHICH IS WITHOUT SHELLS:The player is entitled to collect the shells in his opponent's 'house' directly opposite his own. These shells collected from his opponent's house together with his last shell are deposited in his own 'storehouse'. If the opponent's 'house' opposite his own is empty, he deposits only his last shell in his own 'storehouse'. He forfeits his turn and stops playing. It is the opponent's turn now to distribute the shells.
- IF THE SHELL DROPS INTO AN EMPTY 'HOUSE' BELONGING TO THE OPPONENT:The player forfeits his turn and stops playing. He also forfeits his shell and leaves it in the opponent's 'house'. It is the opponent's turn now to distribute the shells.
- The first round ends when a player has no more shells on his side.
Play resumes in the second round with players redistributing shells from their own 'storehouse' to their own 'houses'. - Beginning from left to right, seven shells are placed in each 'house'. If a player does not have sufficient shells to fill his own 'houses', the remaining cups are left empty and are considered 'burnt'. The leftover shells are deposited into his own 'storehouse.' The opponent deposits excess shells he has won into his own 'storehouse'.
- The loser gets to start the second round. Play is continued as before but players will bypass 'burnt houses' ie. no shells are to be dropped into these houses. If a shell is accidentally dropped into a 'burnt house', it is confiscated and stored in the opponent's 'storehouse'.
- Play continues until one player loses all his 'houses' or concedes defeat.
