Mancala Online: how to play

Mancala, one of the oldest board games in the world, played with the Kalah rules. Kip's six pits run along the bottom with Kip's store on the right. Sow seeds round the board, plan for extra turns and captures, and finish with more seeds in your store than the computer. Each level brings a sharper opponent, and the last two start with more seeds in every pit.

How to play

• Tap one of your pits along the bottom (or press 1–6, or the arrow keys and Enter). Its seeds are sown one at a time into the next cups, going anticlockwise.
• Sowing drops seeds into your own store on the right, but skips the computer's store on the left.
• If your last seed lands in your store, you go again.
• If your last seed lands in an empty pit on your side, and the pit opposite has seeds, you capture them all, plus your own seed.
• When one side has no seeds left, the game ends and each side's remaining seeds go to its own store. Most seeds wins.
• Win to move on. A lost game costs one of your three hearts and you get a rematch; a draw is played again.

The five levels

1. Neon City: 4 seeds a pit, vs Bruno, who is a bit careless
2. Rooftops: vs Mogi: land in your store to go again
3. Sewer: vs Sewer Bot: capture from an empty pit
4. Robot Factory: 5 seeds in every pit, vs Factory Bot
5. Glitch Zone: 6 seeds in every pit, vs Glitch Bot

Clear the Glitch Zone and the levels loop again: every opponent looks one move further ahead and slips up half as often. You have three hearts for the whole run, and the game is the same for everyone each day, so you can compare scores. Press M to turn the sound off or on.

Tips

• Count before you sow: a pit with exactly the right number of seeds to reach your store gives you a free turn.
• Play the pit closest to your store first when it lands there, so the next pit can do the same.
• Watch the computer's empty pits. If your seeds sit opposite one, they could be captured next turn.

Questions

What are the rules of Mancala?

These are Kalah rules: six pits a side and a store at each end. Sow anticlockwise, skip the other store, go again when your last seed lands in your store, and capture from an empty pit on your side.

Who goes first?

You do, every game.

What happens in a draw?

If both stores end with the same number of seeds, the game is played again with no heart lost.

Is it free?

Yes. Mancala is free in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, with no download.