List of mancala games
Games in the mancala family include:
Popular games[]
The most widely played games are probably[according to whom?]:
- Bao is a complex strategy game of Kenya and Zanzibar, 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[]
- (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.
- is a modern mancala game with simultaneous moves.
- is a modern mancala game with two kinds of seeds.
- Mangala (Serdar Asaf Ceyhan; Turkey)
- 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[]
- (the Azande of Sudan) The board is 2×8 with stores.
- Adji-boto (Suriname)
- (Philippines)
- Alemungula (Ethiopia and Sudan)
- Ali Guli Mane (India—Karnataka)
- Andada (Kunama of Eritrea)
- Anywoli (Ethiopia, Sudan)
- Aw-li On-nam Ot-tjin (Borneo)
- (Sudan, Namibia)
- Ayoayo (Yoruba of Nigeria)
- Ba-awa (Ghana) The board is 2×6 with stores.
- (Sumatra)
- (Mesopotamia)
- (Cambodia)
- (the )
- (Tayma)
- Bohnenspiel (Germany)
- (In Tulu language, South India)
- (Zambia)
- (Borneo)
- , or (Marianas)
- (Philippines)[2]
- Congkak (Indonesia, Malaysia) The board is 2×7 with stores.
- Coro (Lango region of Uganda)
- Dakon (Java island of Indonesia)
- (Indonesia—Sulawesi)
- Daramutu (Sri Lanka)
- (Sri Lanka)
- El Arnab (Kababish of Sudan)
- En Gehé (Maasai of Tanzania)
- Endodoi (Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania)
- Enkeshui (Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania)
- Eson xorgol (Kazakhs of Western Mongolia)
- (Ethiopia)
- (Sulawesi)
- Giuthi (Kikuyu of Kenya)
- (Türkiye)
- (Mesopotamia)
- Hawalis (Oman)
- Hoyito (Dominican Republic)
- Igisoro (Rwanda - Burundi)
- (the Turkana of Kenya)
- Isolo (Sukuma of Tanzania)
- J'erin (Nigeria)
- Kakumei (Japan)
- (Gabon)
- (Sumatra)
- (Senegal)
- (India—Odisha)
- Katro (Betsileo of Madagascar)
- (India—Punjab)
- Kiela (Angola)
- Kiothi (Meru of Kenya)
- Kisolo (also spelled Chisolo) (DR Congo and Zimbabwe)
- (Sri Lanka)
- (Kenya)
- ()
- Krur (Hassaniya of Western Sahara)
- [3]
- La'b Madjnuni (Syria)
- La'b Hakimi, or La'b Akila (Syria)
- La'b Roseya (Syria)
- Lamlameta (Konso people of Ethiopia)
- Latho ( of Ethiopia)
- Layli Goobalay (Somalia)
- (India—Assam)
- (the Maroon of Suriname)
- (the Benni of Nigeria)
- (Thailand)
- (Thailand)
- Makonn (Seychelles)
- (Egypt, Syria)
- (Greece— Hydra)
- Mangala (Egypt, Turkey - different rules)
- (Indonesia—Sumba)
- (India—Assam)
- Mbau (Kenya— Kilimanjaro region of the Rift Valley)
- Mbothe (Pokomo people of Kenya)
- (Bali)
- [4]
- (Turkey) The board is 2×9 with stores.
- (Azerbaijan) The board is a circle of six holes. Each player has 21 stones.
- (Sumatra—Aceh)
- (Sumatra—Aceh)
- (Sumatra—Aceh)
- (Sumatra—Aceh)
- (Turkey)
- (Kenya)
- (Congo, Rwanda)
- (Maldives)
- Nsolo (Zambia)
- Ô ăn quan (Viet Nam) game is 2 mandarin boxes x5 ponds each, with 25 stones or tamarind seeds each
- (Nigeria)
- Ouril (Cape Verde)
- (Maldives) 2 players play with cowrie shells.
- (India)
- Pallanguzhi (Tamil of India), also known as Pallankuli.
- (Uganda)
- (Liberia)
- (Sri Lanka)
- (Flores)
- (India)
- [5]
- Sungka (Philippines)
- (India)
- Toee (Sudan)
- Toguz korgool (Kyrgyzstan) The board is 2×9 with stores.
- (Kazakhstan); same as Toguz korgool
- Ünee tugalluulakh (Kazakhs of Mongolia)
- (Telugu name, India - Andhra Pradesh)
- Vai Lung Thlan (the Mizo in Mizoram, India)
- (Sri Lanka)
- (United States)
- (Saint Lucia)
- 散窯 (Sàn yáo) (China—Henan)
- 老牛棋 (Lǎo niú qí) (China—Anhui)
- 分六煲棋 (Fēn liù bāo qí) (China—Guangdong)
Notes[]
- ^ Henry R. Muller, Warri: A West African Game of Skill, The Journal of American Folklore. Vol. 43, No. 169. pp. 313-316.
- ^ Stewart Culin, , American Anthropologist, Vol. 2, No. 4. (Oct-Dec 1900), pp. 643-656.
- ^ 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.
References[]
- H. J. R. Murray, (1952)
- , Mancala games (1984)
- H. J. Braunholtz, The Game of Mweso in Uganda., Man. Vol. 31. (July 1931), pp. 121–122.
- , , Ankara, Delta (2015)
External links[]
Categories:
- Lists of games
- Mancala
- Traditional mancala games