Mancala is an ancient family of board games, and there are numerous variants.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 15 minutes

Here's How:
1. The Mancala 'board' is made up of two rows of six holes, or pits, each.
2. Four pieces -- marbles or stones -- are placed in each of the 12 holes. The color of the
pieces is irrelevant.
3. Each player has a 'home' on the end of the Mancala board.
4. The game begins with one player picking up all of the pieces in any one of the holes.
5. Moving clockwise, the player deposits one of the stones in each hole until the stones run
out.
6. If you pass your own home, deposit one piece in it. Skip your opponent's home.
7. If the last piece you drop is in your home, you get a free turn and go again.
8. If the last piece you drop is in an empty hole on your side, you capture that piece and any
pieces in the hole directly opposite.
9. Always place all captured pieces in your store.
10. The game ends when all six spaces on one side of the Mancala board are empty.
11. The player who still has pieces on his side of the board when the game ends captures all
of those pieces.
12. Count all the pieces in each store. The winner is the player with the most pieces.

Tips:
1. Planning ahead is essential to victory in board games like Mancala. Try to plan two or
three moves into the future.

What You Need

Mancala board

48 markers

Instructions
Object: Collect the most "gemstones" by the end of the game.
Contents: Mancala board, 48 multi-colored stones.
Set Up: Refer to Illustration 1 as you set up and play the game.
Illustration 1

Place the
gameboard between
both players as
shown. The 6
pockets in front of
you make up your
playing area.

The large pocket-- called the Mancala --to your right is yours.
Place 4 stones (colors do not matter) in each of the 12 smaller pockets.
Playing: One player starts the game by removing the stones in any one of his own pockets and placing
one in each pocket, starting with the next pocket to the right. Include your Mancala as a space as you
place the stones in the pockets.
If there are enough stones to go past your Mancala, continue placing them into your oppenent's pockets.
However, skip his Mancala when placing stones.
If your last stone ends up in your Mancala, you get to take another turn. In illustration 1, Player A has
emptied his #3 pocket and the last stone ended up in his Mancala, allowing him to take another turn.

If the last stone you place lands in an empty pocket on your side of the board, you get to take that
stone -- plus all of your opponent's stones that are in the opposite pocket-- and place them in your
own Mancala. As shown in illustration 2, Player B has moved the one stone from his pocket #2 into the
empty pocket #3. He would now take that stone and the stones that are in A4 and place all those stones in
his Mancala. His turn would then end and the next player goes.
Illustration 2
Ending and
Winning the
Game: The game
ends when all six
pockets on one side
of the gameboard
are empty. The
other player takes
the remaining
stones in his
pockets and places
them in his
Mancala. The
player who has the
most stones in his
Mancala wins.
Beginner's Version: Play Mancala by starting out with just 3 stones in each pocket.