How do you play Mancala?

1) You can only move gems on your side (which is the bottom row).

2) To move, you click on one of the cups in your row. This picks up all the pieces in that cup and moves them counter-clockwise, putting one gem in each cup. (You'll see!)

3) If the last gem of your move lands in your mancala, you get to go again.

4) If the last gem of your move lands in an empty cup on your side and there are gems in the opponent's cup right across from it, then all the gems in both cups get put into your mancala.

Play against the computer or a friend on the same device!

Why is it called Mancala?

The name Mancala comes from the Arabic word ‘naqala’, which translates to ‘to move’ in English. This is due to the fact that Mancala is a game where pieces are constantly shifting around the board.

The reason it is taken from Arabic is that Mancala is thought to originate from countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa. It was later brought to the western world after multiple centuries of play. 

What is the goal of Mancala?

The entire goal of Mancala is to collect as many pieces, or ‘seeds’, as you can in your store. At the end of the game, the player with the most seeds in their store comes out victorious.

Is Mancala a game of luck or skill?

While some people associate Mancala as a game for little kids, there is actually quite a bit of skill involved. In fact, many people argue that there is practically no luck involved when it comes to playing Mancala. Instead, you have complete control over how you will do in the game.

Is Mancala an easy game?

Mancala is such a beloved game for two reasons – it is extremely easy to learn, but also takes a lot of skill to master. This means that if you just start playing against easy competition, it won’t take long for you to understand the game and start crushing it.

On the other hand, it takes real training and practice in order to beat a player who has played Mancala for years.