How to Play Kalah Mancala

THE PLAYBOOK · SYCX2Z

How to play Kalah Mancala

Open Kalah Mancala, check the instructions and begin a round. When either row of six pits is empty, remaining seeds go to their owner’s store. The larger store wins. Look at what changes after your first action. Treat the first round as a chance to learn the controls. Check the relevant rule before repeating a move.

Try a deliberate move

After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again. Keep the objective visible.

Your goal

When either row of six pits is empty, remaining seeds go to their owner’s store. The larger store wins. The feedback beside the game helps you follow the round. Follow this game’s rules rather than another version’s.

Step by step

1. Player 1 uses the bottom six pits; Player 2 uses the top six.
2. Choose a non-empty pit on your side and sow its seeds one at a time.
3. Include your own store but skip the opponent’s store. Ending in your store grants another turn.
4. Ending in an empty pit on your own side captures that seed and the opposite seeds, when the opposite pit is non-empty.

Controls

Use the on-screen controls with a mouse or touch. Keep the playing area visible while using these controls. Use one clear input at a time.

A useful example

If your last seed reaches your store, you move again. If your row becomes empty, both stores are settled immediately. Your next round may have a different position, so inspect it before acting. Notice the change in the playing area.

Watch out for this

The stores are scoring areas, not pits you can choose. These are Kalah rules, not every Mancala variant. Read the feedback to see why an action did not have the expected result. Compare the worked example with your own position. Use the reasoning, not an answer copied from a different board.

Common questions