Saltar para o conteúdo principal
Rules

Mancala

Mancala is one of the oldest known families of board games, with origins traced back thousands of years to Africa and possibly even earlier civilisations. Played across regions such as the Middle East, Asia, and parts of Europe, it spread through trade and cultural exchange, evolving into many local variations while keeping its core mechanics of moving and capturing pieces. The name “Mancala” comes from the Arabic word meaning “to move”, reflecting the game’s central action of distributing seeds or stones across a board of small pits. Archaeological evidence shows that versions of the game were played as early as the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and it remains popular today for its simple rules combined with deep strategic thinking.

Rules

Goal – Collect the most buttons in your large square (your mancala) to win.

Setup:

  • 2 players sit opposite each other.
  • Each player has:
    • 6 small squares in front of them
    • 1 large square on the right (their mancala)
  • Place 4 buttons in each small square.

How to Play:

  1. Take all buttons from one of your squares.
  2. Drop them one by one into the next squares moving counter-clockwise.
  3. You can place stones in:
    • Your own square
    • Your own mancala
    • Your opponent’s square
    • Never in your opponent’s mancala ❌

Special Rules

  • Extra turn: If your last stone lands in your mancala → play again.
  • Capture: If your last button lands in an empty cup on your side →
    take that button + buttons from the opposite cup and put them in your mancala.

End of the Game

  • The game ends when one side has no stones left.
  • The other player takes all remaining stones into their mancala.

Winner

  • The game ends when all six squares on one side of the Mancala board are empty.
  • Count stones in each mancala. Most buttons win!
Outros jogos