Printable Mancala rules

Mancala in one page

2 players · mancala board · 48 stones

Each player owns the 6 pits on their side and the store on their right, and the game starts with 4 stones in every pit. On your turn you pick up all the stones from one of your pits and sow them one per pit counterclockwise, skipping your opponent's store. Landing in your own store earns another turn, and landing in your own empty pit captures the stones across from it.

In brief

• 4 stones in each of the 12 pits; stores empty
• Your pits: the near row · your store: on your right
• Pick up all stones from one of your pits
• Sow 1 per pit counterclockwise (to your right)
• Drop 1 in your store; skip your opponent's store
• Last stone in your store = another turn
• Last stone in your own empty pit = capture the pit across
• Captured stones + your last stone go to your store
• One side empty = game over
• Other player stores the stones left on their side
• Most stones in store wins (25+ of 48)

Setup

1. Put the board lengthwise between you. The row of 6 pits nearest you is yours, and the big store at your right-hand end is your mancala. Your opponent owns the far row and the store at the other end.
2. Place 4 stones in each of the 12 pits, 48 stones in all. Both stores start empty.
3. Decide who goes first. Cardinal's rule sheet has the youngest player start. Players often alternate the first move from game to game, since the player who starts has an edge.

On your turn

1. Choose one of the pits on your side that has stones in it and pick up every stone in that pit.
2. Moving to your right, drop one stone into each following pit, counterclockwise around the board. When you reach your own store, drop one in, then keep going along your opponent's row.
3. Skip your opponent's store and carry on into the next pit. Stones you drop into your opponent's pits become theirs to play.
4. If your last stone lands in your own store, take another turn. There's no limit on how many extra turns you can chain together.
5. If your last stone lands in an empty pit on your side and the pit directly across has stones in it, capture them. Put those stones and your last stone into your store.
6. Otherwise your turn is over and play passes to your opponent.

Scoring

Winning

Once the leftover stones are stored, the player with more stones in their store wins. With 48 stones in play, 25 or more is a win. A 24–24 finish is a tie.