Mancala is a family of games with many variations, but the most commonly played version in the West is called Kalah. Here are the basic rules for playing Mancala:

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The beauty of Mancala lies in its simplicity. The game's objective is straightforward: to capture more stones than your opponent. It's a game that anyone can quickly learn and enjoy.

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Board Layout

• A Mancala board consists of two rows of six small pits and two larger pits called stores, one at each end of the board.
• Each player controls the six pits on their side of the board and the store to their right.

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Starting Position

• Place four stones in each of the twelve small pits. The two stores start empty.
• Starting the Game:
• Players take turns. The winner is decided by agreement or a random method, like a coin toss.

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Sowing

• On your turn, pick up all the stones from one of your small pits.
• Move counterclockwise, placing one stone in each pit you pass (including your store but not your opponent's).

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Capture

• If the last stone you sow lands in an empty pit on your side of the board and the opposite pit (on your opponent's side) has stones, you capture all the stones from the opposite pit and the last stone you sowed.
• Place the captured stones in your store.

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Additional Turns

• If the last stone you sow lands in your store, you get an additional turn.

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End of Turn

• The turn ends when the last stone sown does not land in an empty pit or your store.

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Game End

• The game ends when all pits on one side of the board are empty.

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Final Scoring

• The player with stones in their pits captures and places them in their store.
• The player with the majority of stones in their store wins the game.

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Ready to challenge your strategic thinking with Mancala? Gather your friends and family, set up the board, and dive into this timeless game. Practice the rules, hone your strategies, and become a Mancala master. The game's strategic depth will keep you engaged and returning for more.

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Do you still need to get a board? Visit your local game store, and why not try an online version of Mancala as well? Download Mancala Adventures, and play Mancal online today. Discover the joy and depth of Mancala – a game that's easy to learn but endlessly fascinating!