Rules, boards and strategy
Mancala is a family of games built around moving counters between pits. Mancala Rivals uses pearls, two rows of pits and a store for each player. This guide describes the rules implemented in Mancala Rivals; regional Sungka and Kalaha traditions can use different opening and end-of-game rules.
How a turn works
- Choose a pit on your side. It must contain at least one pearl. You pick up all the pearls in that pit and leave it empty.
- Sow one pearl at a time. Follow the direction shown on the board, dropping one pearl into each following pit and into your own store. Skip your rival’s store. A large handful can travel around the board more than once.
- Check where the last pearl lands. If it reaches your store, take another turn. If it lands in a pit on your side that was empty, move that pearl and the pearls in the opposite pit into your store. The landing pearl is banked even when the opposite pit is empty.
- Pass the turn unless you earned another. A capture by itself does not grant an extra turn. If your rival has no legal move, their turn is skipped while you still have pearls to play.
The first player to reach the board’s target wins. A tied finish is possible when neither player reaches the majority target and the remaining play ends with equal stores. Unlike versions that end immediately when one side empties, Mancala Rivals lets the player who still has a legal move continue. Check the board’s target before planning a final capture.
Try the four-step interactive tutorial to practise sowing, an extra turn, a capture and a winning move on a real board.
Six boards
The public boards share the extra-turn and capture rules. Their starting layouts change how quickly stores fill and which pits are dangerous to leave empty.
| Board | Pits per side | Pearls per pit | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sungka | 7 | 7 | 50 |
| Kalaha | 6 | 4 | 25 |
| Sprint | 4 | 3 | 13 |
| Pyramid | 6 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | 22 |
| Heavy | 5 | 6 | 31 |
| Grand | 8 | 6 | 49 |
Start with Kalaha to learn the timing of extra turns. Sungka and Grand give you more pits to track and more ways to alter your next turn. Sprint has only 24 pearls in total, so a small capture can decide the match. Pyramid begins unevenly: counting each pit matters from the opening move. Heavy packs more pearls into fewer pits, making longer sowing moves common.
Plan the last pearl
Before choosing a pit, count forward to where its final pearl will land. A move that puts one pearl in your store may be weaker than a move that earns another turn or sets up a capture.
- Count to your store. If a pit contains exactly the number of steps to your store, playing it earns another turn. Recount after every move: sowing changes several pits at once.
- Look across the board. An empty pit on your side can become a capture destination. Look at the opposite pit’s pearl count, then see whether another pit can land its last pearl in that empty space.
- Check the reply. Your move also adds pearls to your rival’s pits. A tempting extra turn is less useful if the next move hands your rival a large capture.
- Watch the target. You do not need to empty the whole board to win. If a direct store move reaches the target, it is better than delaying for a larger but unnecessary capture.
Use the tutorial to see the mechanics, then play Boss Battle to practise reading complete positions. Online games add a human opponent who can change their plan in response to yours.
Ways to play
Boss Battle is available to guests and uses computer opponents. The tutorial also works without creating an account. Sign in for online play, progression and challenges with friends; social features are available to players aged 13 and over.
Online wins and losses affect rank. Some matches use Dolla stakes: both players contribute in-game currency and the winner receives the pot. Dolla stakes are separate from the pearls you move on the board. The store target decides the match; a Dolla balance does not change how pearls move.
The Shop contains optional purchases. Read the displayed price and terms before buying. A purchase is not required to read this guide, complete the tutorial or start a guest Boss Battle.
About the game and support
Mancala Rivals is created and published by Ampersand Game Studios Ltd. This guide is maintained for the game’s current board rules.
For account, match or purchase help, email support.mancala@ampersandgamestudios.com. Include your player name, the device you were using and what happened. Do not send passwords or payment-card details.
Game-activity analytics are optional and can be changed in Settings. Advertising consent is a separate choice. See the privacy policy for information about the services used by the game and how to contact us about your data.