Overview

Kalah (also known as Mancala) is a traditional two-player count-and-capture board game from the Mancala family. Players take turns sowing seeds from their pits around the board, trying to capture the most seeds. The game ends when one side is empty, and the player with the most seeds in their store wins.

Components

• 1 Mancala board with 12 small pits (6 per side) and 2 large stores (1 per player)
• 48 seeds/stones (4 per pit in the standard version)

Setup

1. Place the board lengthwise between the two players.
2. Each player controls the 6 small pits on their side and the store to their right.
3. Place 4 seeds in each of the 12 small pits.
4. Both stores start empty.

Turn Structure

Players alternate turns. On your turn, pick up all the seeds from any one of YOUR pits and sow them one at a time, counterclockwise, into subsequent pits and your own store.

Actions

Sowing Seeds

1. Pick up all seeds from one of your 6 pits.
2. Moving counterclockwise, drop one seed into each subsequent pit, including your own store.
3. Skip your opponent’s store (never place seeds in it).
4. Continue until all seeds from your hand are placed.

Extra Turn

If your last seed lands in YOUR store, you take another turn immediately.

Capturing

If your last seed lands in an EMPTY pit on YOUR side, and the opposite pit (on opponent’s side) contains seeds, capture both:

• The seed you just placed
• All seeds in the opposite pit
• Place all captured seeds in your store.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Game End

The game ends when a player has no seeds left in ANY of their 6 pits on their turn. The other player captures all remaining seeds on their side and places them in their store.

Winning

Count the seeds in each store. The player with the most seeds wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• You must make a move if you have seeds in any pit; you cannot pass.
• If you cannot move (all your pits are empty), the game ends immediately.
• Multiple extra turns are possible in sequence (each time your last seed lands in your store).
• Captures only occur on YOUR side of the board.
• Landing in your own empty pit on the opponent’s side does NOT result in a capture.
• Seeds pass through and accumulate; pits can hold any number of seeds.

Player Reference

Rule	Detail
Seeds per pit (start)	4
Direction of sowing	Counterclockwise
Extra turn trigger	Last seed in your store
Capture trigger	Last seed in your empty pit (your side)
Capture result	Take that seed + opposite pit’s seeds
Skip	Opponent’s store
Game end	One side completely empty
Winner	Most seeds in store