Mancala

My first day back at work today and alas the “Bailey family sorta Summer Board Game Bonanza” has to come to an end.

While we did not play a game today here is the first of 2 quick reviews of a handful of games we played over the Summer but for whatever reason, I did include them in my posts (but still count as we played them)

Game 44 of the “Bailey family sorta Summer Board Game Bonanza” is “Mancala” played by myself and Jack(7)

Mancala is an abstract strategy game dating back to

To set up, place four “stones” in each hole, excluding the mancalas (the big holes at the side). This should total 48 stones.

During a turn, a player grabs all of the stones in a hole on their side and drops them, one by one, in succeeding holes in a counter-clockwise direction. Players MAY place stones in their own mancala (it counts as a hole), but they MUST skip over their opponent’s mancala. Players MAY place stones in holes on their opponent’s side. This continues until the player has no more stones in his hand. It is then their opponent’s turn.

If, when dropping stones in holes, you drop a stone into your own mancala, and that is the last stone in your hand, then you get to go again.

If, when dropping stones into holes, you drop a stone into a hole that was previously empty, AND the hole is on your side, AND that was the last stone in your hand, you take all of the stones in the hole directly above, and place them into your mancala.

The game is over when a player (not both) has no more stones on his side. His opponent then takes all of the stones on his side and places them in his mancala. The winner is the person with the most stones in his mancala after counting.

As far as classic games go Jack and I like Mancala. It,s quick, it’s simple and you can play it on the beach in the sand with stones and a grid, and that’s kinda cool.