Mancala — Play Online Free Ancient Strategy Board Game
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The World's Oldest Strategy Game
Mancala is an ancient two-player game of counting and capturing, played for over 3,000 years across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The name comes from the Arabic naqala — "to move" — and describes a whole family of sowing games, from Oware in Ghana to Bao in Zanzibar and the modern Kalah rules you can play here, free in your browser.
The rules take a minute to learn: pick up all the stones from one of your six pits and sow them counter-clockwise, one per pit. Land your last stone in your own store and you earn an extra turn; land it in an empty pit on your side and you capture everything in the pit opposite. When one side of the board is empty, the game ends — the player with the most stones in their store wins.
New to the board? Start with our quick‑start guide, dig into the 3,000‑year history of Mancala, or browse the strategy FAQs to learn why hoarding stones in one pit is usually a mistake. Then challenge a friend — or test your wits against the Oracle.
Rules of Mancala
- Players take turns picking all stones from one of their 6 pits
- Stones are sown counter-clockwise, one per pit
- Skip the opponent's Mancala (store) when sowing
- Land in your own Mancala → take another turn
- Land on your own empty pit → capture opposite pit's stones
- Game ends when one side is empty — opponent captures remaining
- Most stones in your Mancala wins!