
If the last seed you distribute lands in an empty hole on your own side, you capture all the seeds in the opposite hole on your opponent’s side, as well as the last seed you just placed.
#Mancala tules free#

Choosing the Starting Playerĭetermine who goes first with a coin flip or by any other agreed-upon method. The larger end pockets or mancala stores should remain empty at the beginning of the game. To begin, place an equal number of game pieces (usually six) into each of the small holes on both sides of the game board. Each player’s store is on their right-hand side. The wooden board typically consists of 12 small holes or pockets, six on each player’s side, and two larger pockets called the “mancala stores” or “scoring cups” at each end of the board. Before we dive into the mancala rules, let’s familiarize ourselves with the game board and its components.
#Mancala tules how to#
How to Play Mancala: A Step-By-Step Guideįor this guide, we will focus on the most common variant of mancala, known as Kalah, which is often played in the United States. The game has been played using simple materials such as empty egg cartons, small cups, or even carved into the ground with small pits.Īs a testament to its longevity and widespread appeal, there are hundreds of different mancala games played worldwide, each with its own unique rules and strategies. It later spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe before eventually reaching the United States. Mancala is believed to have originated in East Africa thousands of years ago. In this blog post, we will explore the origins of mancala, discuss its various rules and variants, and guide you through a step-by-step process of how to play this ancient game. The game is played on a wooden board with small pockets or holes, often filled with small rocks, seeds, or even jelly beans as playing pieces. The term “mancala” comes from the Arabic word “naqala,” which means “to move.” It is considered one of the world’s oldest board games, with origins dating back to ancient times. Mancala is a popular game known for its simple yet engaging gameplay, strategic thinking, and fun ways to pass the time. His turn would then end and the next player goes.Mancala: The Ancient Game of Strategy and Fun – In this blog post we will run you through the mancala board game rules so that soon you will be playing and battling your friends and family on this ancient game. He would now take that animal and the animals that are in A4 and place all those animals in his Mancala.
#Mancala tules plus#
If the last animal you place lands in an empty pocket on your side of the board, you get to take that animal- plus all of your opponent's animals that are in the opposite pocket - and place them in your own Mancala.Īs shown in Illustration 2 Player B has moved the one animal from his pocket #2 into the empty pocket #3. In illustration 1, Player A has emptied his #3 pocket and the last animal ended up in his Mancala, allowing him to take another turn. If your last animal ends up in your Mancala, you get to take another turn. However, skip his Mancala when placing animals.

If there are enough animals to go past your Mancala, continue placing them into your opponent's pockets. Include your Mancala as a space as you place the animals in the pockets. One player starts the game by removing the animals in any one of his own pockets and placing one in each pocket, starting with the next pocket to the right. Beginner's Version: Play Mancala by starting out with just 3 animals in each pocket.
