Mancala
StrategyFree to playSow stones around the board, earn extra turns, capture the opposite pit, and finish with the fullest store.
Your progress
This device—
—
—
Up next when you are done here
See all
How to Play
Mancala uses two rows of six pits and a scoring store at each end. South moves first. Choose a non-empty pit on your side, pick up every stone in it, then sow one stone at a time into the following pits. Your own store receives a stone; the opponent's store is skipped.
Landing the final stone in your own store earns another turn. Landing it in an empty pit on your side captures that stone and every stone in the directly opposite pit into your store. When either player's six pits are empty, the remaining stones move to the other store and the higher total wins.
The default game begins with four stones per pit. Play against the computer or choose local two-player mode on one device. Your strongest winning South-store total is saved locally in this browser.
Controls
- Choose Computer or 2 Players; Computer mode also offers Relaxed or Tactical AI
- Tap a highlighted pit on the active player's side to sow its stones
- Start Mancala or Space - begin the game
- Restart - return to the mode and start screen
Tips & Tricks
- 1Count to your store: a pit whose stone count lands exactly there gives you another turn
- 2Leave an empty pit on your side when you can land the last stone there and capture a loaded opposite pit
- 3Do not automatically choose the fullest pit; turn order and the final landing space matter more
- 4Before emptying one side, count the unsown stones because they all sweep into the other player's store
- 5Extra turns can be chained, letting you reshape several pits before the opponent moves
- 6Against the computer, deny obvious store landings and large captures even when another move gains one extra stone
Frequently Asked Questions
How many stones does a normal game start with?
Four stones in each of the twelve small pits, for 48 stones total.
When do I get another turn?
When the final stone from your move lands in your own scoring store.
How does capturing work?
If your final stone lands in an empty pit on your side and the opposite pit has stones, both sides move into your store.
When does the game end?
As soon as either row of six pits is empty. All remaining stones are then swept into the other store.
Can two people play on one device?
Yes. Select 2 Players before starting and alternate turns locally.
More Strategy games
Same category, fresh boards — stay in the groove.
Backgammon
Roll the dice, move your checkers home, hit blots, and bear off all fifteen to win.
Strategy
Chess Tactics
Study the position and deliver the forced checkmate in one move.
Strategy
Dots and Boxes
Draw the fourth side of a square to capture it. Most boxes at the end wins.
Strategy
Sea Battle
Place a fleet, take shots, sink the enemy ships.
Strategy
Players who finished Mancala moved on to
A short hop into a neighbouring kind of challenge.
Arrow Escape
Rotate the arrows to build a safe route, then step the marker to the green exit.
Puzzle
Grid Worm
Steer the worm toward the gold targets and reach the exit before your steps run out.
Puzzle
Draw Shield
Draw a barrier across the falling path to protect the green target from the hazard.
Puzzle
Fleet Grid
Use the row and column counts to place every hidden ship segment. No two ships may touch.
Puzzle
Popular picks right now
Safe bets if you just want something good.
Word Groups
Find four hidden relationships and sort sixteen words into four matching groups.
Word
Pool
Play free 8-ball pool vs CPU or a friend (same device). Aim, chain combos, sink the 8. No download.
Sports
Stack Tower
Classic precise stacking — drop blocks to overlap the tower and build as high as you can.
Arcade
Fly Bird
Tap to stay aloft and steer through shifting sky gates!
Arcade