About Mancala
Mancala is a two-player board game played with 48 stones on a board of twelve small pits and two large stores. On your turn you pick up all the stones in one of your six pits and drop them one by one into the pits that follow, moving counterclockwise and including your own store but skipping your opponent's.
By the ToolFluency team · Updated October 2026
Play Mancala free online against the computer (easy, medium, hard) or with two players on one device. Wooden board, hints, undo and win streaks. No download.
How to use
- The board has six small pits on each side and a large store at each end. Your pits are the bottom row and your store is on the right. Every pit starts with four stones. On a phone the board stands upright: your pits run down the left side and your store is at the bottom.
- On your turn, tap one of your pits (they are ringed when it is your move). All its stones are picked up and dropped one at a time into the following pits, moving counterclockwise: along your side, into your store, then along your opponent’s side. Your opponent’s store is skipped.
- If your last stone lands in your own store, you take another turn. Lining these up is the main way to get ahead.
- If your last stone lands in an empty pit on your side and the pit directly opposite has stones in it, you capture both: your stone and everything opposite go into your store.
- The game ends when all six pits on one side are empty. The stones still on the other side go to that side's owner. Whoever has more stones in their store wins; 25 or more is a guaranteed win.
- Choose vs Computer (Easy, Medium or Hard) or 2 Players to pass one device back and forth. Hint lights up the strongest pit and says why, and Undo takes back your last move.
- Against the computer, your wins, win rate and win streak are kept in the Your record panel, and a game in progress is saved if you leave and come back.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Mancala?
Mancala is a two-player board game played with 48 stones on a board of twelve small pits and two large stores. On your turn you pick up all the stones in one of your six pits and drop them one by one into the pits that follow, moving counterclockwise and including your own store but skipping your opponent's. If the last stone lands in your store you go again. If it lands in an empty pit on your side, you capture that stone and all the stones in the pit opposite. When one side runs out of stones the game ends, and the player with the most stones in their store wins. This version is the one most widely sold and played in North America, also called Kalah.
Which way do the stones move?
Counterclockwise. From your own pits the stones travel to the right along your row, into your store at the right-hand end, and then right to left along your opponent's row. You never drop a stone into your opponent's store; it is skipped. If you have enough stones to go all the way round, sowing carries on back into your own pits.
How does capturing work in Mancala?
A capture happens when the last stone of your move lands in a pit on your own side that was empty, and the pit directly across from it on your opponent's side has at least one stone. You take your one stone plus all the stones in the opposite pit and put them in your store. If the opposite pit is empty there is no capture and your stone stays where it landed.
What happens at the end of the game?
The game ends as soon as one player has no stones left in any of their six pits. The stones remaining in the other player's pits are moved into that player's own store, and then the stores are counted. Because of this rule, running your own side out is not always good: your opponent keeps everything still on their side.
Does the first player have an advantage?
Yes. With four stones per pit, the first player can open with the third pit from the left, which puts the last stone in the store and earns a second move straight away. Computer analysis of Kalah has shown the first player wins with perfect play. Against a human it matters less, and the usual fix is to swap who goes first each game, which is what this game does against the computer.
What is a good Mancala strategy?
Look for free turns first: a pit whose stone count equals its distance from your store ends in the store. Play the pit nearest the store first so you do not spoil the others. Watch your empty pits: each one is a capture waiting to happen if you can land a last stone in it. Count your opponent's captures too before you leave a big pile opposite one of their empty pits. Keep stones on your side late in the game, since whatever is left on your side when the game ends is yours.
How strong is the computer?
There are three levels. Easy looks one move ahead and often plays at random, so it is good for learning. Medium looks four moves ahead and makes the occasional mistake. Hard thinks for about a third of a second per move, follows chains of free turns to the end, and does not make mistakes on purpose; it is difficult to beat. It varies its opening so games do not repeat. You and the computer take turns moving first, game by game.
Is this game free, and what are the printable rules?
Yes, it is free and runs in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer with no download and no sign-up. If you are playing on a real board, our
printable Mancala rules give you a one-page sheet with setup and board diagrams.
Part of ToolFluency’s library of free online tools for Games & Fun. No account needed, no data leaves your device.