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Mancala: A Relaxing and Rewarding Game to Play Anytime, Anywhere



Mancala Game Download: How to Play and Enjoy the World's Oldest Board Game




If you are looking for a fun, challenging, and educational board game that you can play on your phone, tablet, or computer, you might want to try mancala. Mancala is one of the oldest and most widely played games in the world, with origins dating back to ancient Africa. It is a simple yet strategic game that involves moving and capturing seeds or stones in a board with rows of holes or pits. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about mancala, how to download and play it on your device, and how to spice up your mancala experience with variations and benefits.




mancala game download




What is Mancala and Where Did It Come From?




Mancala is a generic name for a family of two-player turn-based strategy board games played with small stones, beans, or seeds and rows of holes or pits in the earth, a board or other playing surface. The objective is usually to capture all or some set of the opponent's pieces. Versions of the game date back past the 3rd century and evidence suggests the game existed in Ancient Egypt. It is among the oldest known games to still be widely played today.


The History and Origin of Mancala




According to the Savannah African Art Museum, "archeological and historical evidence dates Mancala to the year 700 AD in East Africa. Ancient Mancala boards were found in Aksumite settlements in Matara, Eritrea, and Yeha, Ethiopia. However, the oldest Mancala boards were found in An Ghazal, Jordan in the floor of a Neolithic dwelling" as early as 5,870 to 240 BC.


Evidence of the game was also uncovered in Israel in the city of Gedera in an excavated Roman bathhouse where pottery boards and rock cuts were unearthed dating back to between the 2nd and 3rd century AD. Among other early evidence of the game are fragments of a pottery board and several rock cuts found in Aksumite areas in Matara (in Eritrea) and Yeha (in Ethiopia), which are dated by archaeologists to between the 6th and 7th centuries AD; the game may have been mentioned by Giyorgis of Segla in his 14th century Geʽez text Mysteries of Heaven and Earth, where he refers to a game called qarqis, a term used in Geʽez to refer to both Gebet'a (mancala) and Sant'araz (modern sent'erazh, Ethiopian chess).


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The game spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, and America through trade and migration. It has many names and variations depending on the region and culture. Some of the most popular mancala games (concerning distribution area, the numbers of players and tournaments, and publications) are:



  • Bao played in most of East Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Comoros, Madagascar Malawi, as well as some areas of DR Congo, and Burundi.



  • Gebeta (Tigrinya: ገበጣ) played in Ethiopia and Eritrea (especially in Tigray).



  • Kalah North American variation, the most popular variant in the Western world.



  • Omweso (mweso) played in Uganda, some players and tournaments also in the UK.



  • Pallanguzhi played in Tamil Nadu state (India ), Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.



  • Toguz korgool or Toguz kumalak played in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.



  • Wari played in most of West Africa especially in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.



The Basic Rules and Objectives of Mancala




While there are many variations of mancala, the basic rules and objectives are similar. The game is usually played on a board with two rows of six holes or pits, each containing a number of seeds or stones. There are also two larger holes or stores at each end of the board, where the captured pieces are kept. The players sit opposite each other, with one row of six pits closest to each player. Each player owns the six pits and the store to their right.


The game begins with one player picking up all the seeds from one of their pits and distributing them one by one into the following pits in a counter-clockwise direction, including their own store but not their opponent's. If the last seed lands in the player's own store, they get another turn. If the last seed lands in an empty pit on the player's own side, they capture all the seeds in the opposite pit and their own last seed, and put them in their store. The game ends when one player has no more seeds in any of their pits, and the remaining seeds are awarded to the other player. The player with the most seeds in their store at the end of the game wins.


How to Download and Play Mancala on Your Device




If you want to play mancala on your device, you have many options to choose from. There are many apps and websites that offer mancala game download for free or for a small fee. You can also play mancala online or offline with friends or AI opponents. Here are some of the best apps and websites for mancala game download and how to play them.


The Best Apps and Websites for Mancala Game Download




Here are some of the best apps and websites for mancala game download that you can try:



Name


Description


Platform


Price


Mancala Club


A classic mancala game with beautiful graphics and sound effects. You can play online with other players or offline with AI. You can also customize your board and stones, chat with other players, and join tournaments.


iOS, Android


Free with in-app purchases


Mancala Online 2 Players: Multiplayer Free Game


A simple and elegant mancala game that you can play online with your friends or strangers. You can also play offline with AI or another person on the same device. You can choose from different board designs and difficulty levels.


iOS, Android


Free with ads


Mancala FS5


A popular mancala game that has been downloaded over 5 million times. You can play online with other players or offline with AI. You can also choose from different board styles and rules.


iOS, Android


$0.99


Mancala World


A website that offers a variety of mancala games from different regions and cultures. You can play online with other players or offline with AI. You can also learn about the history and rules of each game.


Web browser


Free


Mancala.com


A website that provides information and resources about mancala games. You can play online with other players or offline with AI. You can also find books, articles, videos, and links about mancala.


Web browser


Free


How to Play Mancala Online or Offline with Friends or AI




To play mancala online or offline with friends or AI, you need to follow these steps:



  • Download and install your preferred app or website for mancala game download.



  • Choose whether you want to play online or offline, and whether you want to play with friends or AI.



  • Select your board style, rules, and difficulty level if applicable.



  • Start the game and follow the basic rules and objectives of mancala as explained above.



  • Enjoy playing mancala on your device!



How to Spice Up Your M How to Spice Up Your Mancala Experience with Variations and Benefits




If you want to spice up your mancala experience, you can try different variations and benefits of the game. Mancala is not only a fun and challenging game, but also a beneficial one for your brain and skills. Here are some of the most popular mancala variations and benefits that you can explore.


The Most Popular Mancala Variations Around the World




As mentioned earlier, mancala is a generic name for a family of games that have many names and variations depending on the region and culture. Here are some of the most popular mancala variations around the world that you can try:



  • Oware a version of wari played in Ghana, Ivory Coast, and other parts of West Africa. It has four seeds in each pit at the start of the game, and the capture rule is that the last seed must land in an opponent's pit that has one or two seeds, making three or four. The captured seeds are placed in the player's store, and the game ends when one player cannot move or captures 25 or more seeds.



  • Bao la Kiswahili a version of bao played in Tanzania, Kenya, and other parts of East Africa. It has 32 pits (16 per row) and two stores. Each player has 64 seeds at the start of the game, and they are distributed in a special way called namua. The game has two phases: the first phase is called mtaji, where players can only sow seeds from their front row pits; the second phase is called kichwa, where players can sow seeds from any pit. The capture rule is that the last seed must land in an opponent's front row pit that has one or more seeds, and all the seeds in that pit are captured. The game ends when one player cannot move or captures all the opponent's seeds.



  • Toguz kumalak a version of toguz korgool played in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It has nine pits (toguz) per row and two stores (kazan). Each player has 81 white balls (kumalak) at the start of the game, and they are distributed evenly among the pits. The capture rule is that if the last ball lands in an opponent's pit that has an even number of balls (except 82), all the balls in that pit are captured. The game ends when one player cannot move or captures more than 81 balls.



  • Kalah a version of mancala played in North America and other parts of the world. It has six pits per row and two stores. Each player has 36 seeds at the start of the game, and they are distributed evenly among the pits. The capture rule is that if the last seed lands in an empty pit on the player's own side, they capture all the seeds in the opposite pit and their own last seed. The game ends when one player has no more seeds in any of their pits, and the remaining seeds are awarded to the other player.



The Benefits of Playing Mancala for Your Brain and Skills




Mancala is not only a fun and challenging game, but also a beneficial one for your brain and skills. Here are some of the benefits of playing mancala for your brain and skills:



  • It improves your memory and concentration by requiring you to remember the number and position of the seeds or stones in each pit.



  • It enhances your logical thinking and problem-solving skills by requiring you to plan ahead and anticipate your opponent's moves.



  • It develops your mathematical and analytical skills by requiring you to count, add, subtract, multiply, and divide the seeds or stones in each pit.



  • It boosts your creativity and imagination by allowing you to create your own rules and variations of the game.



  • It fosters your social and communication skills by allowing you to play with other people online or offline, chat with them, and learn from them.



  • It promotes your cultural awareness and diversity by exposing you to different versions and origins of the game from around the world.



  • It relaxes your mind and body by providing you with a fun and enjoyable activity that reduces stress and boredom.



Conclusion




Mancala is a wonderful game that you can play on your device anytime and anywhere. It is one of the oldest and most widely played games in the world, with origins dating back to ancient Africa. It is a simple yet strategic game that involves moving and capturing seeds or stones in a board with rows of holes or pits. You can download and play mancala on your device using various apps and websites that offer mancala game download for free or for a small fee. You can also spice up your mancala experience with different variations and benefits of the game. Mancala is a game that can improve your memory, concentration, logical thinking, problem-solving, mathematical, analytical, creative, social, communication, cultural, and relaxation skills. So what are you waiting for? Download and play mancala today and enjoy the world's oldest board game!


FAQs




Here are some of the frequently asked questions about mancala game download and their answers:


Q: How many seeds or stones do you need to play mancala?




A: The number of seeds or stones you need to play mancala depends on the version and rules of the game. Generally, you need between 36 to 144 seeds or stones to play mancala. You can use any small objects such as beans, pebbles, marbles, or coins as seeds or stones.


Q: How long does a game of mancala take?




A: The duration of a game of mancala depends on the skill and speed of the players, as well as the version and rules of the game. Generally, a game of mancala can take between 5 to 30 minutes to complete.


Q: How do you win a game of mancala?




A: The goal of a game of mancala is to capture more seeds or stones than your opponent. You can capture seeds or stones by landing your last seed or stone in an empty pit on your side or in an opponent's pit that has a certain number of seeds or stones depending on the version and rules of the game. The game ends when one player has no more seeds or stones in any of their pits, and the remaining seeds or stones are awarded to the other player. The player with the most seeds or stones in their store at the end of the game wins.


Q: How do you play mancala with two people on one device?




A: To play mancala with two people on one device, you need to download and install an app or website that offers mancala game download and supports offline multiplayer mode. Then, you need to choose the offline multiplayer option and select your board style, rules, and difficulty level if applicable. Then, you need to start the game and take turns moving and capturing seeds or stones on the same device.


Q: How do you play mancala online with other people?




A: To play mancala online with other people, you need to download and install an app or website that offers mancala game download and supports online multiplayer mode. Then, you need to choose the online multiplayer option and select your board style, rules, and difficulty level if applicable. Then, you need to start the game and join or create a room with other players online. You can also chat with other players online while playing. 44f88ac181


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