What are the poles for in kho-kho?
I · Intermediate · The chase · 4 of 5The two posts mark the ends of the central lane. The area beyond each is the free zone, and it is the only place where an attacker may turn round and come back down the other side of the court. A tag made while swinging round or diving past the post is known as a pole dive.
How it works
- Free zone: the part of the field beyond each post line.
- Free of the chase rules: taking a direction and receding do not apply there.
- Changing halves: an attacker goes to the other half of the court only by turning round the post through the free zone.
- Leaving the free zone: the attacker must then head for the other free zone, staying on the half they came out on.
- Using the post: an attacker can change direction by kicking off the post with one leg while the other is in the air.
- Pole dive: touching a defender at the post. Dragging the rear leg and turning the shoulder line past a right angle are not fouls then.
- Still a foul at the post: touching or crossing the central lane.
- The post itself: smooth wood, 120 to 125 cm high, not tapered, with no sharp edges on top.
The glossary has the post, the free zone, the pole dive, the direction, the shoulder line and the central lane.
Tricky cases
An attacker in the free zone turns their shoulders right round to watch a defender. Foul?
No. The direction and receding rules do not apply in the free zone.
An attacker leaves the free zone on the left half, then crosses to the right half behind the first seated chaser. Allowed?
No. On leaving the free zone the attacker must stay on that half of the court. Crossing the central lane is a foul.
During a pole dive the attacker's back foot drags along the ground behind them. Is that receding?
No. At the time of touching at the post, dragging the rear leg is not a foul.
Can a defender hold the post to swing round it?
The rule book read does not forbid it. It bars a defender only from touching a chaser.
Why the rule exists
Without the posts an attacker who ran the length of the court would be stuck. The free zone lets them wheel round and attack down the far side. Defenders know it, so the ends of the court are where the closest finishes happen, and the relaxed rules at the post allow the full-stretch dive that the game is known for.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Free zone | No direction or receding rule | KKFI Club Rules Part 2.10 |
| Pole dive | Rear-leg drag and shoulder turn allowed; central lane still barred | KKFI Club Rules Part 2.15, note B |
| National Club Games field | Free zones 2.25 m deep | KKFI Club Rules Part 1.10 |
| Modern format | A pole dive is reported to earn a bonus | Not checked |
From the rule book
Kho Kho Federation of India, National Club Games Rule Book: Kho-Kho (undated), Part 1 (definitions 5, 10, 24 and 25) and Part 2 (rules 8 to 10 and 15). Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's rule book of kho-kho (current edition not published; the National Club Games rule book was used).