Kharbaga

Kharbaga is a traditional strategy game originating from the nomadic cultures of Mauritania and the surrounding Saharan regions. It belongs to the broader family of alquerque-style games, which feature a grid-based board and the capturing mechanics typical of early war games. Historically, it served as a popular social pastime for desert travelers and pastoralists, designed to be played using improvised materials such as sand-drawn grids and distinctively shaped stones or camel droppings as game pieces.

The game is structurally related to international counterparts like draughts and fanorona, yet it maintains its own distinct tactical identity through its specific board geometry and movement rules. While there is no single named designer, the game’s evolution reflects centuries of cultural refinement. It has long been valued for its ability to foster strategic thinking in environments where portable, low-resource entertainment was a necessity, leading to its enduring presence in North African folk tradition.