How to Play Kalah Mancala

THE PLAYBOOK · HBZQCZZ

How to play Kalah Mancala

Start Kalah Mancala by looking at the playing area and its controls. When either row of six pits is empty, remaining seeds go to their owner’s store. The larger store wins. Check the relevant rule before repeating a move. Choose a comfortable screen position before beginning. Look at what changes after your first action.

Try a deliberate move

After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again. Make the next step deliberately.

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. Take a moment to understand the current position.

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. On a smaller screen, keep the active part of the board within view. Contact us with the game and device if a control does not respond.

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. Keep the controls nearby.

Watch out for this

The stores are scoring areas, not pits you can choose. These are Kalah rules, not every Mancala variant. Compare the situation with the worked example. Before your first action, say what you are trying to achieve. Then compare the result with the goal.

Common questions