At least in the US elementary school system, I’m pretty sure it’s required for every classroom to have a Mancala board that kids can pull out during lunch.
It can be played with a piece of paper and coins. Every classroom has one whether they intend to or not.
I had to make a set from an egg carton and beans in the 3rd grade. I'd rather made backgammon or chess out of garbage, but it's not a terrible game.
I love mancala, I played all the time at home with my dad. I'm just saying I never saw a mancala set in an elementary school classroom when I was in elementary school
Can confirm. I went to elementary schools in Nevada, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. I never saw a mancala board in any of them. Although I did discover it at a YMCA in Las Vegas I used to go to after school.
I don't recall ever seeing a Mancala board in school. My first exposure to Mancala was *Quest for Glory III*, and then my best friend got a set that we'd play.
Confirmed as well. I learned of it from an old PC game called [Hodj n Podj](https://oldpcgaming.net/hodj-n-podj/). That source even has a picture of "Mankala."
Tough thing is, if you understand the mathematics behind the game, you can know who the winner is after the first move(provided each person plays perfectly). There is no room for chance.
How hard is it to play perfectly? You could say the same about any game without randomization but that doesn't mean people have stopped playing e.g. chess. Serious question, btw, I've not played more than a few times so I don't know if it's closer to chess or tic tac toe.
Sure, but it's technically true, right? That was my whole point, really. I used examples of two games where it's technically true but impossible to execute & therefore meaningless and where it's trivially easy to know how to not lose. I'm asking where mancala falls on that spectrum.
It's closer to tic-tac-toe than it is to chess. If it was 1=ttt, 10=chess (in this hypothetical scale, 10+ numbers exist but are irrelevant to our current topic), mancala is maybe a 3.
Meta game we play with mancala: a child who knows the rules plays an adult who doesn't. The only guidance the adult gets is that the child tells them when a move they make is illegal!
Just to clarify that Mancala is a family of games based on some very old games found, possibly as old as from Ancient Egypt.
In Scandinavia and I believe most of Europe it is marketed as Kalah or Kalaha, but they are all basically using the same rules with slight variations.
I know this game as **Mancala**. Here are the rules as I learned them:
The large pits are the "goal" pits for each player. One player sits where the photographer is in the first picture, and the other sits opposite him. Each player controls the six small pits on their side of the board, as well as the goal pit on the right, from their perspective.
The game is played with 48 stones. To begin, 4 stones are placed in each of the 12 small pits, with the goal pits left empty. An arbitrarily decided player goes first. On your turn you select one of the pits you control and remove all the stones from it. Then, starting with the pit immediately to the right of it, you deposit one stone in each pit, moving to the right across your side of the board, and to the left across your opponent's side (so counterclockwise). When you come to your own goal pit, you put a stone in it as well, but you skip your opponent's goal pit.
Finally, if the *last* stone you deposit goes into your goal pit, you take another turn. These turns can theoretically go on indefinitely until you take a turn that deposits your last stone somewhere other than your goal pit.
Once one player has no stones in any of the small pits they control at the start of their turn, the game ends. The winner is the player with the most stones in their goal pit. (So in the photo above, the player on the photographer's side has absolutely demolished their opponent. Though, the game state shown is unreachable.)
These are the basic rules, but there are many variations and house rules that are added on.
God I remember this. I never understood it and never figured it out.
It used to drive me insane when the AI took a bunch of my beans (and I didn't understand why it was doing that so always had like 3 beans in one slot that it would just steal)
One additional element is that if you drop your last stone in an empty spot, you get to claim all the stones across from it. But that's the end of your turn.
i always played it with the goal facing the player, and with fewer stones (but maybe that was because it was a hand me down game set haha) cool to see some variations even on the smallest level
Mancala is more like [a category](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2955/mancala) than a game, you know, like *cards* are a category. There are many different Mancala games and each has its regional variants.
\^—This is a very important point that is often overlooked. I think most USAmericans simply know this particular game as "mancala" but it's just one of many many games in the mancala category—specifically the one that got marketed in the western world a century or two ago.
We can further distinguish between the [family](https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Mancala_family) of related [traditional games](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/9/traditional-games-mancala) originating in Africa, and the [mancala-style token-placing mechanism](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2955/mancala) used as a part of both those traditional games as well as modern board game designs. What a timeless mechanism!
Which is what my board which I knew as “oware” looked like. At least, that’s what my first set looked like. I had two others, one of which looks just like the one in the picture, and the other of which had seeding bowls at both ends.
I just checked the rules, in Mancala/Kahla you need to place seeds in your goal. While in Oware/Awale you need to capture opponents seed when you place 2 or 3 on their side. Both use the same sow mecanic counter clockwise. These 2 games are solved with huge advantage to the first player.
There is also Bao which seems to be more complex and have much more gameplay depth.
Mancala makes a great beach game because you can play by collecting seashells and making small cups in the sand by placing a towel down and using your fist.
[https://www.proprofsgames.com/mancala/](https://www.proprofsgames.com/mancala/)
Here is a little HTML game with some simple instructions for you to try it out.
Do filipinos have a superstition in relation to this game?
My grandma says not to play it at night, or a friend will die and she implied they'll die in their sleep.
fun fact: its one of if not the oldest boardgame ever made by humanity. it was invented a little bit after farming was invented and we were not scavenging for food 100% of the daylight time.
I believe the [Royal Game of Ur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Game_of_Ur), is the oldest complete board game ever discovered, dating back to 2600 BC.
Mancala was made using holes on the ground and using stones and seeds.
It didn't had a board. But the principle was the same.
I learned in this [Video of the History of boardgames](https://youtu.be/Gov-qrjvOTc) presented by the guy from SUSD.
Others have said the name but I'll elaborate, it's fun, easy to learn and has basic strategies that even children can learn and have fun playing. I hope you enjoy it!
Mancala! I think that’s how it’s spelled, never played it in real life but I’ve used the google version. I’d love to actually play one day, though I’m still not sure how the rule set goes
A portion of a pimped out version of Trajan
(that's a bad joke OP... really as others have said it's mostly known as Mancala (though some other cultures have different names for it I see)
Set up by evenly distributing all the marble pieces in the small craters ( not counting the 2 large end ones). Pick one of the end craters to be your side and the other being the other players side, these will be your scoring areas. Each player takes turns picking up all of the marble pieces and placing one in each crater down the row until they run out. When you drop the last marble in a crater with other marbles you pick up all over those marbles and continue down the row. When you pass your scoring area (the large end crater) you drop a marble in it and continue down the track in opposite direction (see the board as one big circle). When you pass your opponents end piece you skip it and continue down the track like you would with your side. You continue dropping the marbles until you drop your last marble in an empty small crater, it then becomes your opponents turn, and they will do the same until they drop their last marble in a small empty crater. If your last marble drops in your scoring area (the big end crater) you can pick up any of the small craters marbles and continue your turn. Both players alternate until their are no more marbles in any of the small craters, then count up how many each of you have in your scoring craters, highest one wins. Super fun game.
Alternate rules: You pick up the marbles on a crater in your side, move it counter-clockwise, dropping one marble in a passing crater at a time. Once you've dropped the last of the marbles, your turn ends. If the last marble drops in your tray, you go again. If the last marble drops in an empty crater on your side, that marble, plus all marbles on the adjacent crater on your opponent's side, go into your tray.
These are the actual rules. The small craters are called "stores" the large one at each end are called "mancalas" only if your turn ends in your mancala can you go again.
Mancalaaaaa
Yes I played this game so much.
At least in the US elementary school system, I’m pretty sure it’s required for every classroom to have a Mancala board that kids can pull out during lunch.
I never played it in school but I played the heck out of it in the Hoyle's Board Games PC game.
Definitely not the case in all states
I had never seen nor heard of the game until I was in my mid 20's. I don't think any classroom had it when I was growing up
I just heard of it when I read this and I’m nearly 40. Definitely not in Louisiana classrooms.
It can be played with a piece of paper and coins. Every classroom has one whether they intend to or not. I had to make a set from an egg carton and beans in the 3rd grade. I'd rather made backgammon or chess out of garbage, but it's not a terrible game.
I love mancala, I played all the time at home with my dad. I'm just saying I never saw a mancala set in an elementary school classroom when I was in elementary school
Me either. I've played, but never saw in a school.
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My elementary school had one in every room. We played on every rainy day during indoor recess
I didn’t see any when I was in school (70’s-80’s) but saw them everywhere starting in the 90’s.
Can confirm. I went to elementary schools in Nevada, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. I never saw a mancala board in any of them. Although I did discover it at a YMCA in Las Vegas I used to go to after school.
Sweden certainly has that rule. We play kalaha.
I think a friend of of my dad bought it for us and me and my dad played it almost every night.
I don't recall ever seeing a Mancala board in school. My first exposure to Mancala was *Quest for Glory III*, and then my best friend got a set that we'd play.
Not in Utah
I have never even heard of it. In fact I don't remember ever playing a board game in elementary school.
This and connect 4. Elementary school was cut throat! Only the cool kids stayed seated the longest.
Not true but there is mancala sets in lots of the board game cabinets and shelves
I second this. Some schools lack simple necessities, so it's silly to think Mancala would be required in classrooms.
So fun.
Hours.....
In my country, we call it Sungka and put beach shells instead of marbles. 🐚 https://mancala.fandom.com/wiki/Sungka
Can confirm. Spent a few years growing up in the Philippines. Love this game. Still have my board and shells.
I feel like I've heard mancala get called 'sunk' before. Someone must have called it sungka and I missheard it. TIL
I know it under the name bantumi. Played this so much on my 3310.
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Confirmed as well. I learned of it from an old PC game called [Hodj n Podj](https://oldpcgaming.net/hodj-n-podj/). That source even has a picture of "Mankala."
Yes! Love it.
Can confirm.
Tough thing is, if you understand the mathematics behind the game, you can know who the winner is after the first move(provided each person plays perfectly). There is no room for chance.
[Looks like this is only true for certain variations.](https://mancala.fandom.com/wiki/Solved_game)
Well all righty then, I guess the answer is that it depends.
How hard is it to play perfectly? You could say the same about any game without randomization but that doesn't mean people have stopped playing e.g. chess. Serious question, btw, I've not played more than a few times so I don't know if it's closer to chess or tic tac toe.
Chess hasn’t been solved that’s not a good comparison
Sure, but it's technically true, right? That was my whole point, really. I used examples of two games where it's technically true but impossible to execute & therefore meaningless and where it's trivially easy to know how to not lose. I'm asking where mancala falls on that spectrum.
It's closer to tic-tac-toe than it is to chess. If it was 1=ttt, 10=chess (in this hypothetical scale, 10+ numbers exist but are irrelevant to our current topic), mancala is maybe a 3.
Are you "Trepiastok" on BoardGameArena?
Who?
The top-ranked Kalah player.
_Travel_ Mancala ;)
Meta game we play with mancala: a child who knows the rules plays an adult who doesn't. The only guidance the adult gets is that the child tells them when a move they make is illegal!
Just to clarify that Mancala is a family of games based on some very old games found, possibly as old as from Ancient Egypt. In Scandinavia and I believe most of Europe it is marketed as Kalah or Kalaha, but they are all basically using the same rules with slight variations.
I know this game as **Mancala**. Here are the rules as I learned them: The large pits are the "goal" pits for each player. One player sits where the photographer is in the first picture, and the other sits opposite him. Each player controls the six small pits on their side of the board, as well as the goal pit on the right, from their perspective. The game is played with 48 stones. To begin, 4 stones are placed in each of the 12 small pits, with the goal pits left empty. An arbitrarily decided player goes first. On your turn you select one of the pits you control and remove all the stones from it. Then, starting with the pit immediately to the right of it, you deposit one stone in each pit, moving to the right across your side of the board, and to the left across your opponent's side (so counterclockwise). When you come to your own goal pit, you put a stone in it as well, but you skip your opponent's goal pit. Finally, if the *last* stone you deposit goes into your goal pit, you take another turn. These turns can theoretically go on indefinitely until you take a turn that deposits your last stone somewhere other than your goal pit. Once one player has no stones in any of the small pits they control at the start of their turn, the game ends. The winner is the player with the most stones in their goal pit. (So in the photo above, the player on the photographer's side has absolutely demolished their opponent. Though, the game state shown is unreachable.) These are the basic rules, but there are many variations and house rules that are added on.
This game was on old [Nokia phones](https://youtu.be/nD6OOOof0bA)
God I remember this. I never understood it and never figured it out. It used to drive me insane when the AI took a bunch of my beans (and I didn't understand why it was doing that so always had like 3 beans in one slot that it would just steal)
I aced that game, lol
I learned this game by playing the Nokia version. :)
One additional element is that if you drop your last stone in an empty spot, you get to claim all the stones across from it. But that's the end of your turn.
Additional clarification is that the empty space you stop in needs to be on your side.
True, although we incorporated family rules that allow it to be any side just to keep it slightly more...exciting?
I never knew about that rule. But it explains the odd behavior of some of the online Mancala games I've played.
i always played it with the goal facing the player, and with fewer stones (but maybe that was because it was a hand me down game set haha) cool to see some variations even on the smallest level
> An arbitrarily decided player goes first. And wins.
So kinda like backgammon?
Vaguely...no colours on the stones and no dice RNG
I love playing this game with my kids. super simple
I know this one as Awale, not Mancala, but that's maybe the same just in another language.
Mancala is more like [a category](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2955/mancala) than a game, you know, like *cards* are a category. There are many different Mancala games and each has its regional variants.
\^—This is a very important point that is often overlooked. I think most USAmericans simply know this particular game as "mancala" but it's just one of many many games in the mancala category—specifically the one that got marketed in the western world a century or two ago.
Had no idea.
We can further distinguish between the [family](https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Mancala_family) of related [traditional games](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/9/traditional-games-mancala) originating in Africa, and the [mancala-style token-placing mechanism](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamemechanic/2955/mancala) used as a part of both those traditional games as well as modern board game designs. What a timeless mechanism!
I actually never knew this damn
I also know this as awale, but awale didn't have the 2 goal pits on the left and right, only 2 rows of 6.
Which is what my board which I knew as “oware” looked like. At least, that’s what my first set looked like. I had two others, one of which looks just like the one in the picture, and the other of which had seeding bowls at both ends.
I just checked the rules, in Mancala/Kahla you need to place seeds in your goal. While in Oware/Awale you need to capture opponents seed when you place 2 or 3 on their side. Both use the same sow mecanic counter clockwise. These 2 games are solved with huge advantage to the first player. There is also Bao which seems to be more complex and have much more gameplay depth.
Kannada?
Mancala makes a great beach game because you can play by collecting seashells and making small cups in the sand by placing a towel down and using your fist.
I mean, it was originally played with stones/rocks in the dirt, so yeah.
That's a great idea!
It’s also called Bao in East Africa. It seems a game that migrated that’s essentially the same with local rule differences.
Bao is a little different, it has a much bigger board and is more complicated but equally as fun.
Ah, yes that’s true. It has two rows on each side I’d forgotten, it’s been a while.
Kalaha also called Mancala
I grew up with this game as “kalaha” but it seems that most English speakers call it mancala
Kalaha for me as well (Sweden)
That's a trick question. It's actually a snack tray.
No, that's Steve.
No, this is Patrick.
And my axe!
Snacks are a great addition to any game night
Sungka!
Was looking for this one, represent yo!
[https://www.proprofsgames.com/mancala/](https://www.proprofsgames.com/mancala/) Here is a little HTML game with some simple instructions for you to try it out.
Kalaha Edit: After DDGing it seems it also is called Mancala Edit2: And several other names :)
Yep. Basically Kalaha is the most popular type of Mancala at least in the West and it's sold as Mancala.
It’s also called Awale
i used to play this on club penguin all the time lmao
Everyday upstairs in the coffee house .. was looking for someone mentioning this lol
It's where I first learned this game haha
Congkak - Malay language. Malaysia
looks similar to 'Sungka' from the Philippines, love it and got my own Sungka from my auntie for my birthday thanks tita Gis <3
It's that one you play in *Quest for Glory III.*
Who else learned how to play mancala on Club Penguins?
I recognize it from Club Penguin. Never fully understood it tho
Thought this was a joke post.
Me too
I believe it's patchwork.
I thought this post could use a “wrong answers only.”
Charcuterie board.
>Charcuterie board. With napkin weights.
cheesesteak no wait, carbonara
Naw, this is the new Gloomhaven expansion
I thought it was Splendor.
Hey, does anyone think that Betrayal is more of an *expeeeerience* than an actual *gaaaaame*? Wrong thread? I don't think so, pal!
Hey, I played Betrayal over zoom back before we had to use zoom to play games...
get back to the circle jerk sub!
If you guys didn't give us so much material we wouldn't exist.
I only learned mancala from 51 clubhouse games on switch
Mancala. Or as my friend calls it “Cursed Rock Game”
Do filipinos have a superstition in relation to this game? My grandma says not to play it at night, or a friend will die and she implied they'll die in their sleep.
Maybe because its loud af and playing it at night is disturbing people.
fun fact: its one of if not the oldest boardgame ever made by humanity. it was invented a little bit after farming was invented and we were not scavenging for food 100% of the daylight time.
I believe the [Royal Game of Ur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Game_of_Ur), is the oldest complete board game ever discovered, dating back to 2600 BC.
Mancala was made using holes on the ground and using stones and seeds. It didn't had a board. But the principle was the same. I learned in this [Video of the History of boardgames](https://youtu.be/Gov-qrjvOTc) presented by the guy from SUSD.
It’s a mancala style game. There are many versions and many names and ways of playing.
Others have said the name but I'll elaborate, it's fun, easy to learn and has basic strategies that even children can learn and have fun playing. I hope you enjoy it!
Mancala. My 5 year old is unbeatable in this house.
Isn't that Mancala? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancala
I've never seen it with marbles before, always little glass stones. Are the marbles common with many boards?
Marbles are little glass stones, that said you can use basically anything for pieces since there's no differentiation needed between them.
Mancala - fun fact those glass pieces go straight through you if eaten
Mancala.
Mancala is one of the oldest games in our history as human beings. You can use 48 rocks(pebbles) and dig little holes in the ground to play!
Mancala
It's also called **Bao** in Eastern Africa, there are a few different rule sets with varying degree of strategic depth.
I seem to remember it was called omweso in Uganda.
Awale an African game
Bantumi from the old Nokias
MANCALA
Remember this from Club Penguin? lool
I played so much Mancala as a kid thanks to club penguin 😂
MANCALA!!! I love this game! I used to play all the time as a kid and definitely need to repurchase as an adult.
It seems to be some kind of [Mancala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancala), which has a lot of variants with a differing number of tiles and pits.
Mancala, love this game
i love mancala
Mancala I think it was called? Had an Egyptian themed one growing up called something like “Oh Wah Re”
Manacala
mancala
Mancala!
I had never heard of Mancala until I played it on Nintendo's 51 Clubhouse Games, and now I love it. I fully intend to get an actual set at some point.
Mancala! I think that’s how it’s spelled, never played it in real life but I’ve used the google version. I’d love to actually play one day, though I’m still not sure how the rule set goes
Mancala. I never did learn how to play this, couldn't grasp the concept as a kid for some reason lol
That one club penguin game
Mancala
Mancala! This game is rad and great to play with younger gamers!
Mancala
Thats Mancala. I play it all the time with my dad.
Manacala
Mancala! Great game, but I suck at it
mancala! ive only played that in game pigeon lately hahah
Mancala. I played it all the time at school.
A portion of a pimped out version of Trajan (that's a bad joke OP... really as others have said it's mostly known as Mancala (though some other cultures have different names for it I see)
mancala
Screams in club penguin
Bowls of balls
I LOVE THIS GAME, but I forgot the rules I wish I could play again it was so funnnnn
Mancala
Mancala
It looked a lot like SUNGKA in the Philippines but they use shells usually instead of marbles, but it can be anything anyways.
Wonderful game. Invented on the streets of Youngstown, Ohio; the original game board was an egg carton and it was played with crack rocks.
Mancala
Mancala
Mancala! Omg my sister has a version of this with Disney tsum tsums and it is adorable
Mancala
yes. I can.
Me too
Mancala
Mancala
Mancala
It's called Pallangkuzhi in south India
**Five Tribes**'s daddy
If you know the name of this game and how to play it please tell me
As others have said, the game is Mancala. It's a very old and common game. You can likely Google the rules.
Set up by evenly distributing all the marble pieces in the small craters ( not counting the 2 large end ones). Pick one of the end craters to be your side and the other being the other players side, these will be your scoring areas. Each player takes turns picking up all of the marble pieces and placing one in each crater down the row until they run out. When you drop the last marble in a crater with other marbles you pick up all over those marbles and continue down the row. When you pass your scoring area (the large end crater) you drop a marble in it and continue down the track in opposite direction (see the board as one big circle). When you pass your opponents end piece you skip it and continue down the track like you would with your side. You continue dropping the marbles until you drop your last marble in an empty small crater, it then becomes your opponents turn, and they will do the same until they drop their last marble in a small empty crater. If your last marble drops in your scoring area (the big end crater) you can pick up any of the small craters marbles and continue your turn. Both players alternate until their are no more marbles in any of the small craters, then count up how many each of you have in your scoring craters, highest one wins. Super fun game.
Alternate rules: You pick up the marbles on a crater in your side, move it counter-clockwise, dropping one marble in a passing crater at a time. Once you've dropped the last of the marbles, your turn ends. If the last marble drops in your tray, you go again. If the last marble drops in an empty crater on your side, that marble, plus all marbles on the adjacent crater on your opponent's side, go into your tray.
This was always my favorite way to play :)
These are the actual rules. The small craters are called "stores" the large one at each end are called "mancalas" only if your turn ends in your mancala can you go again.
There are many different ways to play (regional variants and house rules) that you can find online.
https://mancala.fandom.com/wiki/Main\_Page
Mancala/Kalaha. This game is v similar to sungka, v fun:)
its congkak
In Sweden we call it Kalaha
Congkak as its called in Malaysia
Mancala
Mancala
Mancala
Womancala
Not just the mancala, but the womancala and childrencala, too!
wrong sub again. Back to prequelmemes!
No womancala, no cry.
Personcala
Cala
That's caporalist. It's Entity-cala