OBJECTIVE OF MANCALA: Collect as many stones as possible into your mancala or store.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 players
MATERIALS OF MANCALA: Mancala board, 48 stones
TYPE OF GAME: Board game
AUDIENCE: All ages
OVERVIEW OF MANCALA
- Invented thousands of years ago, Mancala is one of the world's favorite games of...
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Mancala is one of the oldest board games in the world that is still widely being played today. There is evidence that this simple but strategic board game was played in Ancient Egypt! How incredible is that?
This two-player game involves moving small stones, beans, or seeds around pits in order to capture as many stones as possible in your mancala or store. Don’t worry if you don’t have a physical Mancala board to play with your family and friends. This is a game you can easily play by drawing the Mancala board on a piece of paper, or you can even play it online.
Ready to learn how to play Mancala? Here are the Mancala game rules. We’ve also got some Mancala strategies and tips for you to help you win!
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SETUP FOR MANCALA
The Mancala board is made up of 12 pits 6 on each side. On either end of the board, you will also find a store, also called a mancala. To play the standard game of Mancala, you’ll need 48 stones, also called seeds. The color of the stones does not matter.
Place 4 stones in each of the 12 pits in order to begin the game. For a shorter or simpler game, you can also play with 2 or 3 stones in each pit.
Players sit across from each other. Players can only move the stones on their side of the Mancala board, as in the 6 pits in front of them. Each player has their own store, which is the store on their right.
HOW TO PLAY MANCALA: MANCALA RULES
Now that you’ve set up your Mancala board properly, it’s time to play! Here are the official rules for Mancala.
TAKING TURNS
Play always moves to the right. One player starts the game by picking up all of the stones in one of their pits and moves them to the right, dropping one stone in each pit along the way. If you reach your store, add a seed to your store before continuing to the other player’s side if you still have stones left.
Once the first player finishes their turn, the second player does the same on their side of the Mancala board.
MOVING THE STONES
Moving the stones seems simple enough, but there are a few special rules to keep in mind:
- You can only use one hand to pick up and put down stones
- Once you touch the stones in a particular pit, you MUST move those stones – no changing your mind!
- If the last stone in your hand lands in your store, you get to go again
- If the last stone in your hand lands in an empty spot on your side of the Mancala board, you can take that stone and all of the stones on your opponent’s pit on the opposite side to place into your store.
- If you have enough stones that you reach your opponent’s store, skip it and do not add any stones in their store.
END OF GAME
When all 6 of a player’s pits are completely empty, the game ends. The other player places all of their remaining stones into their store. And now, it’s time to count! Whoever has the most stones is the winner.
MANCALA STRATEGY: HOW TO PLAY TO WIN
You can play Mancala with players as young as 6, so it’s a fairly easy game to understand with simple rules. Of course, figuring out a strategy is a whole different ball game. So, if you want to win every Mancala game you play, here are some Mancala strategies you’ve got to keep in mind!
THIRD PIT FIRST
One of the best opening moves is to start with your third pit, as this ends with the last piece in your store or mancala zone, which gives you a point and allows you to go again.
PREVENT YOUR OPPONENT FROM DOING THE SAME
After the first move, a common second move on your first turn is to play the right-most or second-right-most pit so that your opponent cannot play the same move, as this ends with an extra stone in your opponent’s third pit.
FOCUS ON YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS
Always think the long game when you’re playing Mancala. Set up advantageous positions for future moves instead of focusing on a smaller short-term win. Play smart!
EMPTY YOUR RIGHT-MOST PIT
One Mancala strategy is to keep your right-most pit empty, as this often gives you a chance to put a single stone there, which can quickly give you another turn and point when you score into your store.
CREATE EMPTY PITS ON YOUR SIDE
Create some empty pits on your side so that when the last stone lands on an empty spot, you can capture your opponent’s stones on the other side. This can be a very powerful move that can turn the tide of the game.
SPREAD OUT YOUR STONES WHEN ON DEFENSE
When you’re on defense, a good strategy is to distribute your stones throughout your pits across your side of the Mancala board by moving the stones on your far left side.
3 STONES PER PIT RULE
Try to have 3 stones per pit to better your chances of scoring. Similarly, force your opponent to have fewer than 3 stones per pit, as this reduces their ability to move throughout the board.
FAQ
Is Mancala Luck or Strategy?
While the board game may seem simple, Mancala is actually a game of skill and strategy, not luck. You have to work against your opponent to figure out how to get as many stones in your store as possible.
Is Mancala Similar to Chess?
Although the rules are completely different from chess, Mancala is similar to chess in that they are both strategy games that can end in countless different ways.
What Is the Oldest Game in the World?
Many historians believe that Mancala is the oldest game in the world, with archaological evidence of this game dating back to 6,000 BC.
Can I Play Mancala by Myself?
You can certainly play Mancala by yourself by playing the two sides, just like you would play chess alone to hone your skills. You can also play Mancala online alone against a bot.
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