Mancala
Mancala is a family of seed-sowing games, and this one follows the Kalah rules. The board has two rows of six bowls plus a long store at each end, and the winner is whoever has collected the bigger pile in their store when the game ends.
There are seven computer opponents to choose from, each with its own style, along with a two-player mode and a computer-versus-computer mode. The page runs in a browser tab, and the board rotates to suit your screen.
How to play Mancala
The six bowls along the bottom are yours, and so is the tall store on the right. Your rival owns the top row and the left store. Every small bowl starts with four seeds.
Pick any of your bowls that is not empty. All its seeds are lifted and dropped one at a time into the following bowls, counterclockwise, passing through your store but skipping your rival's. If your final seed lands in your store, you take another turn. If it lands in one of your empty bowls and the bowl directly opposite has seeds, both go into your store.
Play stops as soon as either player's row is completely empty. The other player then adds any seeds left on their own side to their store, and the larger store wins. In 2 Players 1 Screen, Red takes the top row and Green the bottom.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sow a bowl | — | Click one of your bowls | Tap one of your bowls |
| Show seeds as marbles or numbers | — | Click a store | Tap a store |
| Open the menu | — | Gear button, or press and hold a store | Gear button, or press and hold a store |
| Pick mode and opponent | — | Start screen: click a mode, then a player | Start screen: tap a mode, then a player |
Tips
- Count the distance from each bowl to your store. A bowl whose seed count equals that distance gives you a free turn, so play it first.
- Check which of your piles face an empty bowl your rival could finish in. Move a big pile out of danger before it gets captured.
- An empty bowl on your side, opposite a loaded one, is a capture waiting to happen. Try to land your last seed there on a later turn.
- Near the end, remember that whatever sits on the other side goes to its owner. If their row is full, avoid emptying your side too fast.
- Bob and Bill always prefer the same kind of bowl, which makes them predictable. They are good practice for setting up captures.
If you like Mancala, try these
SenetAn old board game from Egypt makes a good next step, racing five pieces down a 30-square track by throwing sticks.
Five Dice ScorecardCounting ahead to squeeze the most from each turn carries over to rolling five dice and choosing the best box to score.
Questions
Which Mancala rules does this game use?
It plays by the Kalah rules: four seeds per bowl, extra turns for landing in your store, and captures from empty bowls on your side.
Can two people play Mancala on one screen?
Yes. Choose 2 Players 1 Screen on the start page, and the two of you take turns, with Red on the top row and Green on the bottom.
How do I see the number of seeds in each Mancala bowl?
Tap either store to switch between marble pictures and plain numbers. Number view makes it much easier to count moves ahead.
More like this: all board & card games · Math games · 2-player games · every game A–Z
