Mancala Classic Games - An Original African Stone Game
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Mancala - Yesterday's Classic Board Game Today
Mancala is a group of classic board games of old that has its origins in Africa. It is a game that has many similarities to dominoes and card games in that it's group of games which fall under a similar heading of "classic" games. Mancala board games has a number of names and variations, depending on the region where it is played and asides being referred to as Mankala, is also known as:
Awale
Oware
African game with stones
Ayo
The mancala board game is played on a solid, sometimes intricately carved wooden board consisting of two ranks (rows). Each rank consists of 6 pits (mancala holes), with each player having four seeds ( or beads) in each of the 12 pits on the board. There are 48 seeds in the traditional 2 player mancala game, 24 per player.
There are 2 larger sized holes (pits) at each end of the board, one for each player, and these are the store pits where the seeds are kept to hold the accumulated winnings of each player.
In the ancient times, mancala boards were not carved out intricately as they are today. They were generally played with holes dug in the earth or carved out of rough stone, but today, the mancala game comes as a hinged wooden case that unfolds to open to enable for play and closes up as a convenient storage for the playing seeds.
Awale
Oware
African game with stones
Ayo
The mancala board game is played on a solid, sometimes intricately carved wooden board consisting of two ranks (rows). Each rank consists of 6 pits (mancala holes), with each player having four seeds ( or beads) in each of the 12 pits on the board. There are 48 seeds in the traditional 2 player mancala game, 24 per player.
There are 2 larger sized holes (pits) at each end of the board, one for each player, and these are the store pits where the seeds are kept to hold the accumulated winnings of each player.
In the ancient times, mancala boards were not carved out intricately as they are today. They were generally played with holes dug in the earth or carved out of rough stone, but today, the mancala game comes as a hinged wooden case that unfolds to open to enable for play and closes up as a convenient storage for the playing seeds.
Today's Mancala Board Game
In the ancient days mancala, the playing 'seeds' used to be made up of small smooth stones or pebbles, but now they are mainly large seeds or beans. These pieces are placed in or moved from hole to hole and accumulated by each player, during play. The modern variations of the game now have beads or real seeds instead of stones, as the playing pieces.Today, there are many variations to the solid wood mancala board game. There are now four player mancala games that have rows on each side of a large square board, and known as the 4 rank mancala board game.
There are still the old forms of mancala board games found in many African homes that are many decades old. They may have become smooth and worn by many years of play, but they are still kept as relics of the past. Some have become priceless and are now more of a collectible, rather than for use.
Objectives Of The Game - Mancala Rules
The objectives of a mancala game is to capture more seeds than the opponent, and leave the opponent with no more moves. This is achieved when one player's rank becomes empty of seeds before the other's. This is simply how to win this classic board game.
The simple game is started by filling each player's pits with 4 seeds each. The first player - could be anyone, but subsequently, the winner starts playing first - picks up seeds from one pit in his rank, chosen at random, and redistributes them by dropping one seed at a time into all pits following a clockwise motion, and continue dropping them (even into the oponents rank) until that set of seeds are exhausted.
There are a few simple rules governing the mancala game, such as which pit a player can drop a seed into, and when a player's turn is over. For example:
While a player drops one seed into each pit in the clockwise direction, and continues round the board, a seed must not be dropped into the pit that held the ones being distributed. This particular pit must be skipped.
After the 'round trip', a player will 'win over' only the seeds accumulated on the side of the opponents rank.
A player can only 'win over' an accumulation of 2 or 3 seeds per pit on an opponents side, so if as much as one to five out of the six pits in an opponent's rank has a two or three collection, it is taken over. But the holes must be beside each other to count as winnings.
The simple game is started by filling each player's pits with 4 seeds each. The first player - could be anyone, but subsequently, the winner starts playing first - picks up seeds from one pit in his rank, chosen at random, and redistributes them by dropping one seed at a time into all pits following a clockwise motion, and continue dropping them (even into the oponents rank) until that set of seeds are exhausted.
There are a few simple rules governing the mancala game, such as which pit a player can drop a seed into, and when a player's turn is over. For example:
While a player drops one seed into each pit in the clockwise direction, and continues round the board, a seed must not be dropped into the pit that held the ones being distributed. This particular pit must be skipped.
After the 'round trip', a player will 'win over' only the seeds accumulated on the side of the opponents rank.
A player can only 'win over' an accumulation of 2 or 3 seeds per pit on an opponents side, so if as much as one to five out of the six pits in an opponent's rank has a two or three collection, it is taken over. But the holes must be beside each other to count as winnings.
- Solid Oak Wood Mancala Game Board
- The goal of each player is to collect the glass beads in his or her mancala (the store pits at each end of the game board). Begin your game by filling each pit with 4 beads. A player then picks up beads from a pit and redistributes them, one at a time, into other pits around the board.
4-Player Mancala Strategy Game
This variation of the solid wood mancala board game is a must have.4-Player Mancala Strategy Game
1) while the traditional set allows for only two players, this set can be played with four
2) the sturdy board folds up into a sleek storage case for the colorful glass playing pieces.
Aside from the improvements, this family solid wood mancala game is still among the finest ways to hone ones math and strategy skills while having fun.
For 2 to 4 players
Developing Strategies In Mancala Game
Even though there are many variations to the mancala game, the main objective of winning the game lies in a player collecting (winnings) and accumulating the most number of seeds in his store pit which serves as the winnings receptacle. The player with the highest number of seeds is the mancala game winner.
One good thing about mancala games is that as one become more proficient in playing, one will begin to develop tactical moves and ways to 'thrash' an opponent. Players will be able to know which of the pits seeds should be the first to start the game. They will also develop ways to make intelligent moves so that about fifteen seeds of an opponent can be 'swiped' at one go.
One good thing about mancala games is that as one become more proficient in playing, one will begin to develop tactical moves and ways to 'thrash' an opponent. Players will be able to know which of the pits seeds should be the first to start the game. They will also develop ways to make intelligent moves so that about fifteen seeds of an opponent can be 'swiped' at one go.
- Playing Mancala Games
- Today, you will still find Mancala boards in many African and Asian homes, many decades old, that have become smooth and worn by so many years of play. These are mostly relics of the past, with some being invaluable and considered as heirlooms.
An Original African Stone Game
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Mancala As A Collector's Item
Mancala is a wonderful game, and for game collectors, having a complete set of solid wood mancala board game and large seeds, makes a lovely décor item of art in the home.
Mancala Game Varieties
Comments Are Welcome
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Serenia
Dec 8, 2011 @ 7:26 am | delete
- My son received a mancala game board for Xmas this year - so I m investigating the details. How to play, the history etc Great lens, thanks..
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Viryabo
Nov 6, 2009 @ 7:00 am | in reply to dani !! | delete
- Hi Dani. Thanks for your visit and nice comments. Will take your advice. Thanks.
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dani !!
Nov 3, 2009 @ 6:09 pm | delete
- this blok is very nice but i think u should include more desings but i love it from 1 to ten 9
awsome !!
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Viryabo
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