Mancala Stones Free Mancala with Kalah rules against four rivals
Play free Mancala (Kalah rules) against four computer rivals and solve a new best-turn puzzle every day.
About Mancala Stones
Mancala Stones is free online Mancala against the computer that you can play in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer. It uses the popular Kalah rules, with a board laid out upright so that every pit is big enough for a thumb. There is nothing to download and no sign-up. Your first game starts straight away against Pebble, a friendly beginner, and a little hand shows you where to tap. Your game is saved after every move, so you can close the page in the middle of a match and carry on later.
The rules are simple to learn. Each side has six pits and a store, and every pit starts with four stones. You can change that to three, five or six stones in the menu. On your turn you pick up all the stones in one of your pits and sow them one by one into the following pits, passing through your own store but skipping your rival's. If your last stone lands in your store you get another turn. If it lands in an empty pit on your side and the pit across from it holds stones, you capture them all. When one side runs out of stones the other side keeps what is left on its row, and whoever has more stones in the store wins. Every pit always shows its stone count as a number, as well as the stones themselves.
Four rivals wait on the ladder. Pebble is just learning and slips a lot. Mica likes a free turn and sees a capture coming. Basalt is patient and looks deep. Grand Obsidian searches far ahead and never makes a deliberate mistake. All four run on our own engine, which thinks on a background thread so the board never freezes. Beat a rival to unlock the next one.
Watch the stones hop into each pit with a click, or tap the board while they move to fast-forward the sowing. Your score turns each result into a number: a win is worth 100 points per rung of the ladder plus 5 for every stone you win by, and a draw is worth 50 per rung. Earn bronze for a win, silver for a win with no undo or hint, and gold for a win by ten stones or more with no help. Medals unlock new board woods. If a rival beats you three times in a row, the next game offers a head start of stones in your store.
Every day there is a new puzzle, the same for everyone: score the most stones in one turn. The trick is the order of your moves, because every move that ends in your store lets you play again, and a chain of free turns can end with a big capture. Each puzzle is checked by an exhaustive search, so the answer is always the true best. Solve it for up to 100 points, keep your streak alive and earn a bonus for each day in a row.
Tips: moves that end in your store are free, so look for a pit whose stone count equals its distance from the store. Play the pit closest to the store first to set up the next free turn. Keep a few stones back in the pits near your store, and empty a pit on your side across from a full rival pit to set up a capture.
How to play
Tap one of your pits on the right to sow its stones one by one, around the board, skipping the rival's store. End in your store for another turn. End in an empty pit of yours opposite a full pit to capture both. Tap the board while the stones are moving to fast-forward. On a keyboard use the number keys 1 to 6 or the arrow keys and Enter to pick a pit, U to undo, H for a hint, P to pause and M to mute.
Controls and devices
- Controls: Touch, Mouse, Keyboard
- Works on: phones, tablets and computers
- Screen: portrait orientation
- Price: free, no download or sign-up
FAQ
- What are the rules of Kalah Mancala?
- Each side has six pits and a store. You pick up the stones of one pit and sow them one per pit around the board, into your store but not your rival's. A last stone in your store gives another turn. A last stone in an empty pit of yours captures the stones opposite. When a side is empty the other keeps what is left, and the larger store wins.
- Can I play with a different number of stones?
- Yes. Choose three, four, five or six stones per pit in the menu. Four is the usual setting. More stones make longer, more tactical games.
- How strong are the rivals?
- Pebble is a beginner who makes real mistakes. Mica looks a few moves ahead, Basalt searches deeply, and Grand Obsidian searches far ahead and makes no deliberate mistakes. Each unlocks when you beat the one before.
- Can I take back a move or get a hint?
- Yes. Undo takes back your last turn and the reply. You get one free hint per game and can watch an ad once per game for another. Using either removes the silver and gold medals.
- What is the daily puzzle?
- A position where you must score the most stones in a single turn by chaining free turns. It changes at midnight UTC and is the same for everyone. The stated best score is proven by an exhaustive search.
- Will my game be saved if I close the page?
- Yes. An unfinished game is saved after every move. Your records, medals and streak are saved on this device, and to your account when you are signed in.
Credits
- Game design, code, engine, puzzles, art and sound: Playora Games