Mancala
Strategy, Board Game, 2 Player · Updated
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Mancala is one of the oldest board games in the world: two rows of pits, a handful of seeds, and a race to collect more of them than your opponent. This version plays Kalah, the rules most people learn today, in your browser against the computer or a friend, on a phone, a tablet or a computer.
How to play
Each player has six pits on their side of the board and a store to their right. Every pit starts with four seeds. On your turn, pick one of your pits that has seeds. All of its seeds are picked up and sown one at a time into the following pits, moving counter-clockwise. Your own store gets a seed when you pass it, but your opponent’s store is skipped.
- If your last seed lands in your store, you take another turn.
- If your last seed lands in an empty pit on your side and the pit across has seeds, you capture both into your store.
- When all the pits on one side are empty, the game ends. The other player keeps the seeds left on their side, and the bigger store wins.
On a keyboard, the arrow keys move between your pits and Enter plays the one you picked. The number keys 1 to 6 play a pit directly, starting with the pit farthest from your store. On a touch screen, tap one of the highlighted pits. N starts the next round and M switches the music.
For every rule in detail, plus the best opening move, read how to play mancala.
How to win
- Chase extra turns. A pit that holds exactly as many seeds as it is far from your store ends in your store. Play those first, starting with the one nearest the store, so one move does not spoil the next.
- Set up captures. An empty pit on your side, opposite a full pit, is a threat. Count which of your pits can end there.
- Defend your big pits. If your opponent can end a move in the empty pit across from your biggest pile, move that pile or fill their landing pit.
- Count the ending. When the board thins out, the side that still has seeds keeps them. Sometimes the best move is the one that runs your opponent out of moves.
Three computer levels and two players
Easy picks random pits and is a good way to learn how sowing works. Medium goes for extra turns and captures and avoids giving you an easy capture back. Hard looks many moves ahead and rarely makes a mistake. Choose 2 Players to share the screen with a friend. Your choice of opponent and level is remembered on this device, and the first move switches sides every round.
Who it is for
A round of Mancala takes a few minutes, and the rules fit in one breath, which makes it a good game for a short break or for teaching a child to count ahead. If you like turn-based strategy, try Tic Tac Toe for a quick round, Dots and Boxes for a pencil-and-paper classic, or Ultimate Tic Tac Toe for a longer think.
How to get a high score
- Count before you move. A pit whose seed count matches its distance to your store gives you an extra turn.
- When the pit next to your store holds a single seed, play it first. It lands in your store and you move again.
- Keep an eye on your empty pits. Ending a move in one of them captures everything in the pit opposite.
- Protect a big pit from capture by emptying the pit across from it, or by keeping seeds out of the empty pits your opponent can reach.
- Near the end, count what is left on each side. When one side runs out, the other player keeps every seed on their own side.
Questions
Which mancala rules does this game use?
It uses Kalah, the version most people in the US and Europe learn. Each side has six pits with four seeds in each and a store on the right. Seeds are sown counter-clockwise, one per pit, including your own store but never your opponent's.
How do captures work?
If the last seed of your move lands in an empty pit on your side, and the pit directly across has seeds, you take both the last seed and everything across and put them in your store. If the pit across is empty, nothing is captured.
When do I get an extra turn?
When the last seed of your move lands in your own store. You can chain several extra turns in a row.
How does the game end?
As soon as all six pits on either side are empty. The other player moves the seeds left in their pits into their own store, and whoever has more seeds in their store wins. With 48 seeds, a 24–24 result is a draw.
Can I play against a friend?
Yes. Choose 2 Players and take turns on the same screen. Blue plays the bottom row and Orange plays the top row. On a narrow phone screen the board turns sideways, so Blue has the left column and Orange the right.
How strong is the computer?
Easy picks random pits. Medium goes for extra turns and captures and avoids handing you an easy capture. Hard looks many moves ahead and is a real test for experienced players.
