
This article will break down the origins and rules of Mancala. Whether you’re playing against someone else or trying to get through your day, this strategy game will keep your mind sharp while giving you plenty of time away from the stresses of life. You can only move forward left or right along the row, but you can capture all stones in front of you with each turn until there are no more to take. The objective of the mancala board game is to capture as many pebbles as possible from your opponents by taking turns dropping a stone into one of the pits on either side of you. It has been played for centuries and has many variations, but the rules are always the same. The oldest Mancala boards were found in An Ghazal, Jordan on the floor of a Neolithic dwelling.
Mancala rules capture how to#
Mancala is an ancient and classic game that is still beloved and played widely today! Find out the rules of how to play this legendary game. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The game’s popularity across different regions gave rise to other variants of the Mancala game, but the variations are usually insignificant.This post may contain affiliate links. However, in some regions, players prefer specific settings over others, such as the Maldives, which usually play in two eight-well rows, or Filipino players who play almost exclusively in two rows of seven. Different board configurations with a different number of game stones affect only the game’s duration, so the rules do not need a change. The store’s role is essential, and you do not have to encounter this combination of rules with other types of mancala games.

A new round begins, and many variants give certain advantages to previous winners.Īlthough there are several variants in the market, the features of the game are easily recognizable.

When there are no more pieces to play, the player with the most pieces in the store wins the game. If the last piece falls into the occupied hole on both sides of the board (except for the stores), the pieces are collected and distributed in the same way until the last piece falls into an empty hole.In the Philippines, it is common for both players to start the match simultaneously, while the start of the next play is determined by the player who continued with his first move the longest. the player should not play in the opponent’s store), then the player can distribute pieces from one of the holes on his/her side.Ī player can capture many pieces before an opponent has a chance if the player can calculate how to end up in their store with each additional distribution counter. If the last piece falls into the player’s store (i.e. After you have captured the stones/stones from the opponent’s line and added them to those in your store, it’s your opponent’s turn. There is a variation as regards when it is allowed.However, if this last stone /pebble falls on the player’s side, the stones in the hole on the opposite side are taken and added to the contents in the player’s store. If the last part falls into an empty hole, the distribution process stops.The player who collects the most stone/pebbles wins the game. The goal of the game is to capture most of the pieces of the opponent.The game rules, amongst many other pieces of information, are summarized below:
Mancala rules capture full#
However, the complete game rules were provided as early as 1937 by BERNARDO, who also documented full matches between two players. Although he didn’t have detailed rules, they perfectly depict how Mancala is played in this modern era.

Stewart Culin was the first to mention and describe the Philippines mancala game rules, Sungka. This is probably the benefit it offers to mental health, the physical body and the way it strengthens strategic thinking.įor every game, there must be a rule guiding it. The mancala game is an ancient game that has maintained its popularity.
