MANCALA RULES

QUICK START

FULL RULES

Setup

Each player controls 6 pits on their side of the board plus one store (the large pit on their right). Place 4 seeds in each of the 12 small pits for 48 seeds total. Stores start empty.

Turn Order

Players alternate turns. On your turn, choose one of your pits that contains seeds.

Sowing

Pick up all seeds from your chosen pit. Moving counter-clockwise, drop one seed into each pit you pass, including your own store but skipping your opponent's store.

Skip Opponent Store

Never drop seeds into your opponent's store. If you reach it during sowing, skip over it and continue to the next pit.

Extra Turn

If your last seed lands in your own store, you get another turn immediately. Chain multiple extra turns if you keep landing in your store.

Capture

If your last seed lands in an empty pit on your side, capture that seed plus all seeds in the opposite pit. Place captured seeds in your store.

Game End

The game ends when all pits on one side are empty. The player who still has seeds on their side collects them all into their store.

Counting

When the game ends, any seeds remaining in a player's pits are moved to that player's store for final counting.

Victory

The player with more seeds in their store wins. If both players have 24 seeds, the game is a draw.

VARIANTS

Oware

West Africa (Ghana, Ivory Coast)

The most strategic variant. Captures happen when you drop the last seed in a pit containing 2 or 3 seeds on the opponent's side. No extra turns from landing in store. Deeply analyzed by mathematicians.

Kalah

Modern Western Standard

The version described in our rules above. Created by William Julius Champion Jr. in 1940. Features the extra turn and capture mechanics that make it accessible to beginners.

Bao

East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya)

One of the most complex mancala variants with 4 rows instead of 2. Features multi-lap sowing where you pick up and continue sowing if you land in an occupied pit. Championship-level play exists.