#Mancala board setup how to#

The game board is made of 2 rows of 6 small holes known as pockets, and large holes on opposite ends called mancalas or stores. On the board, there are two rows of six small holes (also known as pockets) with a larger hole at the opposite ends, which is called the mancalas. Place the game board between the two players lengthwise. The game rules are specified with S-expressions, Zillions rule language.It was designed to handle mostly abstract strategy board games or puzzles. Since mancala is a board game, you should place the board between you and your partner. Zillions of Games is a commercial general game playing system developed by Jeff Mallett and Mark Lefler in 1998. To play mancala, you will need a mancala board (if you don’t have one, an empty egg carton can be used instead), 48 playing pieces which could be stones, beads, or whatever you have, and of course, a game partner. Planning ahead is essential to victory in board games like Mancala.

The winner is the player with the most pieces. The player who still has pieces on his side of the board when the game ends captures all of those pieces.

#Mancala board setup how to#

Mancala is fun and easy to learn, here’s how to play and win. The game ends when all six spaces on one side of the Mancala board are empty. It is derived from the Arabic word ‘ Naqala’ which means to move and is often denoted as a game where players “sow” and “capture” seeds.Īlthough this game has been around since the 7th century, it has still remained a favorite game in our generation and can be found in homes, museums, and often times, tourists attractions. Mancala is a board game that is popular amongst the Africans and the MidWest so I’ll show you how to play mancala.