How to Play Mancala
Mancala is one of the oldest known board games in human history, with origins tracing back over 3,000 years to ancient Africa and the Middle East. This family of count-and-capture games challenges players to collect the most stones through strategic sowing and capturing. Simple to learn but endlessly strategic.
Objective
The goal is to collect more stones in your store (the large pit on your right) than your opponent. The game ends when one side of the board is empty, and the player with the most stones wins.
Setup
The board consists of two rows of six small pits, with a large store at each end. Each of the 12 small pits starts with 4 stones (48 stones total). Your store is the large pit to your right; your opponent's store is to your left.
Gameplay
On your turn, pick up all stones from one of the pits on your side. Moving counter-clockwise, drop one stone into each pit, including your own store but skipping your opponent's store. If your last stone lands in your store, you get another turn. If your last stone lands in an empty pit on your side and the opposite pit has stones, you capture both your stone and the opponent's stones, placing them in your store.
Winning
The game ends when one player has no stones left in their pits on their turn. The opponent captures all remaining stones on their side. The player with the most stones in their store wins.
Learn, Play, and Have Fun!
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