African stones game rules

If the last seed is dropped into an empty hole on your side, you get that seed and all those in the hole directly opposite. When all six spaces on one side of the Mancala board are empty, the game ends. If you still have seeds on your side of the board at this point, you capture all of them. The winner is declared based on the number of seeds.

The one with the most seeds in each store wins. Since you get another turn if the last seed is dropped in your own mancala, you need to choose wisely which hole to start with.

If you get the first turn, choose a hole that is 5 holes away from your mancala. This way, the last stone will be dropped in your own store. This gives you another turn. If you used up your second turn and your opponent played the whole that is one or two holes away from their mancala, play the sixth hole from your store. This will guarantee you another free turn. Another strategy will be to play the hole where the last seed in your hand will land in an empty store on your side.

Each player has a 'store' to the right side of the Mancala board. Cereal bowls work well for this purpose. The game begins with one player picking up all of the. Moving counter-clockwise, the player deposits one of the. If you run into your own store, deposit one piece in it. If you run into your opponent's store, skip it.

If the last piece you drop is in your own store, you get. If the last piece you drop is in an empty hole on your. Always place all captured pieces in your store. Mancala is a game that has been around for centuries and will probably live on for a few more. Mancala rules have almost 80 variations in this day and age but the essentials remain the same. However, among these, Oware, Bao, Kiswahili, and Wari are the most predominant ones.

Some sources, however, speculate that Mancala was used in rituals in African temples and shrines. They say the board represents the earth, the holes represent the months of the year while the stones represent stars. The game was brought to Europe by the slave trade. To play the ancient and fun game of Mancala you only need two, very simple things; the Mancala board and some marbles. To set up your Mancala game you will need to have the above equipment.

You can easily make a Mancala board at home. No need to go through the hassle of running to the market or the wait for online shopping. Your DIY Mancala game is ready to be played!