Mancala

About Mancala

Mancala is a family of count-and-capture games played with seeds, stones, or counters placed in pits. The exact rules vary by version, but most Mancala games involve sowing pieces around the board and trying to capture more than your opponent.

How to play Mancala

Choose a pit on your side, pick up the pieces from it, and drop them one by one into following pits. Depending on the rules, landing in certain places can capture pieces or give another move. The aim is to collect the most pieces.

Who it is for

For players who enjoy counting ahead before making a move. It suits a board game where predicting the landing point of the last counter is more useful than choosing the largest pile.

Features

• Choose a pit and pick up its counters.
• Sow counters one by one around the board.
• Plan collection and capture opportunities.

Tips for playing Mancala

Count carefully before you move. A good Mancala move is often one that ends in the right pit, sets up a capture, or denies your opponent an easy score. Think a few pits ahead rather than only choosing the largest pile.

Important limitations

Mancala is a family of games. Follow this version's rules for captures, extra turns and the end of play; they may differ from another Mancala game you know.

Related online games

• Two Player Mancala
• 2048

Mancala history and background

Mancala is not one single game but a large family of traditional count-and-capture games. Versions are played in many regions, especially across Africa and parts of Asia, and the family is often described as one of the oldest still played today.

Mancala FAQ

Is Mancala one game or many games?

Mancala is a family of related games, so rules can vary depending on the version.

What skills does Mancala use?

Mancala uses counting, planning, timing, and tactical captures.