[2][3] It is the second-most popular traditional tag game in the Indian subcontinent after kabaddi.

However, the active chaser is restricted from crossing the central lane to access the other half of the court and cannot change direction once they begin running toward either pole.

Each turn lasts nine minutes, and the team with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

[7] The name comes from Marathi: खोखो (khō-khō),[8] the word kho is an onomatopoeia of the sound invoked while playing the game.

[11] The modern form of the game was standardised in 1914, with its rules and formalised structure being given by Pune's Deccan Gymkhana club.

[12] Kho-kho was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics alongside other traditional Indian games.

[21][22] This transition has altered the game, as more energy is required to run on a matted surface, with injuries also increasing to some extent.

[23][24][25] Various other aspects of the game, such as the poles and the dimensions of the playing field, were also added over time.

[26] In the 21st century, a shortened format of the game has been invented, aiming to increase spectator appeal.

There are 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)-long extensions of the court behind each of the poles known as "free zones", in which there are no restrictions on chasers' movements.

[29] Violating any of these rules results in a "foul", in which case the chasing team can no longer attempt to tag any defenders.

In order to clear the foul, the active chaser must move in the opposite direction of the one they were running in (i.e. away from the defenders they were chasing) until they have either given a kho to a teammate, or reached the appropriate free zone.

[29][30] In the case of a tie, some matches have a tiebreaker known as a "minimum chase", in which each team is allotted an additional turn to score.

[47] This variant is played on a circular field, with an inner circle and outer boundary being demarcated.