The rules of the game are simple, but the strategies needed to win are quite challenging. The object of the game is to capture more stones than your opponent. To help you learn and play the game, a dialog box appears with comments on the actions performed. You can choose from the 16 pre-defined rules or define your own rules. Other features include move undo, and a history list of all played holes in the game (allowing you to restart a game at any point to find another strategy). Awale also lets you challenge an opponent over the Internet.

Awale also features: excellent graphics and sound effects, scoring, online help, game save, a new A.I. algorithm, and an English and French version.