Mancala
Mancala • PCODE 00-013 • PID 139
Played in many countries, especially around Africa, Mancala gets you thinking strategically as you place your beads around the board.
Mancala is one of the world's most widely played games, with hundreds of variations played in many countries around the world since the time of the pharaohs. It offers an addictive blend of simplicity, subtlety and excitement, with rules that can be learnt in minutes. Mancala is a fast-moving game of skill and tactics that can be played by anyone old enough to count - and adults can play against children on an equal footing!
To move: A player picks up beads from any small bowl and moves around the board in a counter-clockwise direction, dropping one bead in each bowl as he passes. Played cunningly, a player can 'capture' an entire bowl and move its contents to his store or 'mancala' (and try to prevent his opponent doing likewise!)
For 2 players
Ages: 7 to Adult
Web Resources
Here is a very amusing online Oware/Mancala game with snails for pieces!
Here is more information from The Oware Society about Mancala games with further links.





