Play Mancala Online
Africa, recorded by about 700 CE
Mancala is the one a lot of people already know from childhood. Pick up a pit of seeds, drop them one by one, and try to end in the right spot.
It looks simple and then it isn't. Play the AI or a friend right in your browser.
How to play Mancala
- The board has 12 small pits, 6 per player, plus a big store at each end. Every small pit starts with 4 seeds. Your store is the one on your right.
- On your turn, pick up all the seeds from one of your pits and drop one in each pit going counter-clockwise.
- Drop one in your own store as you pass it. Skip your opponent's store.
- If your last seed lands in your store, go again.
- If your last seed lands in an empty pit on your side, you capture it plus every seed in the pit straight across.
- When one side runs out, the other player keeps what's left on their side. Most seeds wins.
Want every detail? Read the full Mancala rules.
A little history
Mancala isn't really one game. It's a family of more than 800 games played across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and the sowing move looks a lot like planting a field.
You'll find Oware in West Africa, Bao in East Africa, Congkak in Southeast Asia and Kalah in America. African mancala games start showing up in written records around 700 CE, and they're likely much older.
There's more on the history page.
Strategy that actually helps
Count the seeds before you move. If the last seed lands in your store you get another turn, so look for the pit that's exactly the right distance away and play it first. Chaining two or three extra turns in a row is how games are won.
Keep an eye on empty pits on your side. Land your last seed in one and you capture everything in the pit across from it. Your opponent is looking for the same thing, so don't leave a big pile sitting across from their empty pit.
Near the end, think about what's left on each side. When one side runs out of seeds the game ends, and whatever is left over usually goes to whoever still has it.
Mancala FAQ
Is Mancala free to play here?
Yes. Play the AI or a friend in your browser, no download needed.
Which version of Mancala is this?
Mancala is really a big family of games played across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Ours plays like Kalah, the version most people in the US grew up with: six pits a side, a store at each end, extra turns, and captures.
How old is Mancala?
Sowing games like this go back well over a thousand years, and some researchers think much longer. The exact start isn't known.
How long does a game take?
Most games take five to ten minutes.
Ready to play?
Play the AI at your own level, make a private room for a friend, or hit Quick Match. It all runs in your browser on ancientboardgames.io.