African Stone Capturing Game — Play Mancala Free Online

The African stone capturing game you're looking for is Mancala — one of humanity's oldest game families, played with seeds or stones sown around a board of pits. Play the classic Kalah version right here, free, no download or account.

▶ Play Mancala

Vs computer (easy/medium/hard) or pass-and-play · Loads instantly

Mancala via mancalaboardgame.com — Kalah and Avalanche rules, 3 difficulty levels Open full site →

How to play (Kalah rules, in one minute)

This is the version on almost every board set and app that just says "Mancala."

  1. 1
    Sow

    Pick up all stones from one of your 6 pits and drop them one per pit, moving counterclockwise. Your own store (on your right) gets a stone; skip your opponent's.

  2. 2
    Extra turn

    If your last stone lands in your own store, go again — chaining extra turns is how games are won.

  3. 3
    Capture

    If your last stone lands in an empty pit on YOUR side and the pit directly opposite has stones, you capture that stone plus everything opposite.

  4. 4
    End

    When one side empties, the other player sweeps their remaining stones into their store. Bigger store wins.

"Mancala" is a family, not one game

VariantWhere / Character
KalahThe standard Western ruleset — what the game above plays
Oware / AwaleWest Africa / Caribbean — no free-turn rule, captures scored differently
BaoEast Africa — complex, played on 4 rows
OmwesoUganda — tournament-level complexity, 4 rows
AvalancheModern chain-sowing variant (GamePigeon rules) — toggleable above

FAQ

What is the African stone capturing game called?

Mancala — an Arabic-derived name ("to move") covering hundreds of related pit-and-stone games played across Africa and the Middle East for over a thousand years. If you saw two rows of pits and stones, that's it.

How do you capture stones in mancala?

In Kalah rules: end your sow in an empty pit on your own side, and if the pit directly across on the opponent's side has stones, you take your last stone plus everything opposite into your store.

Where can I buy a mancala board?

Any toy store or online retailer — folding wooden Kalah sets are cheap and standard. For authentic variants, look for Oware sets from West African sellers.

Can I play mancala online free?

Yes — the game embedded above is free, needs no account, and plays vs computer at three difficulties or pass-and-play with a friend on one device.