List of mancala games explained
Games in the mancala family include:
Popular games
The most widely played games are probably:
- Bao is a complex strategy game of Kenya and Tanzania, played on a 4×8 board.
- Kalah is the ruleset usually included with commercially available boards; however, the game is heavily biased towards the first player, and it is often considered a children's game. The board is 2×6 with stores. The Pie rule can be used to balance the first-player's advantage.
- Oware, the national game of Ghana, is also known by Warri,[1] Ayo (Yoruba Name. Nigeria), Awele, Awari, Ouril, and other names. It has relatively simple rules but considerable strategic depth. The board is 2×6 (not counting optional stores).
- Omweso (also known as coro) is a strategic game of Uganda, played on a 4×8 board.
- Pallanguzhi is played in Tamil nadu, Southern India with 2 x 7 stores. Two varieties of this game are popular, Kaashi and Bank.
Games with unusual features
- Bohnenspiel is a German mancala based on a Persian game not unlike some African mancala variants. The board is 2×6 with 2 stores.
- ǁHus is a Namibian game. The board is 4×8.
Modern adaptations
- Bantumi, featured on many early Nokia phones such as the Nokia 3310
- Conga (Martin Franke; Germany)
- Cups (Arthur Amberstone and Wald Amberstone; United States: New York)
- Devil Bunny Hates the Earth, where you try to save the world by jamming taffy machines. (James Ernest and Cheapass Games; United States: Seattle, Washington)
- Oh-Wah-Ree is a commercial variant of Oware with provision for more than two players.
- 55Stones is a modern mancala game with simultaneous moves.
- Kauri is a modern mancala game with two kinds of seeds.
- Mangala (Serdar Asaf Ceyhan; Turkey)
- Space Walk is a modern boardgame with mancala mechanic.
- Trajan is a modern boardgame variant with mancala mechanic.
- Five Tribes is a modern boardgame variant with mancala mechanic.
Traditional variants
References
- H. J. R. Murray, History of Board Games other than Chess (1952)
- H. J. Braunholtz, The Game of Mweso in Uganda., Man. Vol. 31. (July 1931), pp. 121–122.
- Arslan Küçükyıldız, Köçürme / Mangala, Ankara, Delta (2015)
External links
Notes and References
- Henry R. Muller, Warri: A West African Game of Skill, The Journal of American Folklore. Vol. 43, No. 169. pp. 313-316.
- [Stewart Culin]
- Alan P. Merriam, The Game of Kubuguza Among the Abatutsi of North-East Ruanda. Man, Vol. 53. (November 1953), pp. 169-172.
- H. A. Stayt, The Bavenda.
- P. H. G. Powell-Cotton, H. J. Braunholtz, A Mancala Board Called "Songo.", Man. Vol. 31. (July 1931), pp. 123.
