People have been moving seeds between pits for centuries, and the game still holds up. Mancala unblocked uses the popular Kalah rules: two rows of six bowls, a store at each end, and four seeds in every bowl at the start.
This open-source version by moparisthebest gives you seven computer opponents with their own playing styles, a mode for two people on one screen, and a layout that rotates for tall or wide screens.
How to play Mancala
The bottom row of bowls is yours, and so is the store on the right. On your turn, empty one of your bowls into your hand and sow the seeds singly, moving counterclockwise. You drop seeds in your own store as you pass it but skip your opponent's.
Two moves are worth chasing. If your last seed falls into your store, you go again. If it falls into one of your empty bowls while the opposite bowl has seeds, both piles go to your store.
Once one side has no seeds left in its six bowls, the other player banks what remains on their side. Whoever has the bigger store wins. You can play another person on one device, take on the computer, or watch two bots play each other.
Controls
| To… | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Sow the seeds from a bowl | Click one of your bowls | Tap one of your bowls |
| Switch seeds between marbles and numbers | Click either store | Tap either store |
| Open the menu | Click the gear button, or press and hold a store | Tap the gear button, or press and hold a store |
| Choose a mode and opponent | Click a mode on the start screen, then an opponent | Tap a mode on the start screen, then an opponent |
Tips
- Count bowls to your store. A bowl with exactly as many seeds as steps to your store gives a free turn. Play those first, starting with the one closest to the store.
- Watch the bowl across from your piles. A big pile facing an empty enemy bowl is a capture waiting to happen, so move it or fill the gap.
- Chain extra turns. One free turn can set up another, so look at the board again after each bonus move.
- Think about the end. Seeds left on your opponent's side go to them when the game ends, so don't empty your row too early if theirs is full.
- Warm up on the simple bots. Some opponents follow fixed habits, which makes them good for practicing captures before you try the one that thinks ahead.
Mancala questions
Which computer player is toughest?
Alice is the one that looks ahead before moving, and her setup lets you give her more thinking time. The other bots follow simple rules, like favoring extra turns or certain bowls.
Can I see seed counts instead of marbles?
Yes. Select either store to flip the board to numbers, and do it again to go back to marbles.
Can two people play?
Yes. The two-player mode lets you and a friend take turns on the same screen, one on each row.
