If you only want enough to finish your first game, remember five ideas: sow only from your own non-empty pits; drop seeds counterclockwise one per pit, including your store and skipping the opponent's; last seed in your store means another turn; last seed in an empty pit of yours means a capture; an empty row ends the game immediately.
Start in 30 seconds
- South, the near row, always sows first. If you choose North against AI, the AI makes the opening sow.
- On your turn, tap a pit on your own row that still has seeds. Empty pits and the other row are never legal.
- When you tap a pit, every seed in that pit is lifted and dropped counterclockwise, one per pit, including your store and skipping the opponent's store.
- If the last seed lands in your store, you sow again immediately.
- If the last seed lands in an empty pit of yours, that seed and the opposite pit go into your store.
- As soon as one row is empty, the game ends. Seeds left on the other row are scooped into that store, then the stores are compared.
Starting position
Each side has six pits and a store. Every pit starts with four seeds and both stores are empty. South is the near row and always opens; North is the far row and replies. If you only remember one thing before the first move, remember which row is yours and which large pit is your store.
In the move list on this site, South's pits are a-f (0-5) with store 6, while North's pits are A-F (7-12) with store 13. You do not need to memorize that to play, but it helps when you replay the game.
How sowing works
When you tap a pit, you do not choose how many seeds to take: every seed in that pit is picked up and sown. Drop them one per pit counterclockwise. Your own store receives a seed when you pass it; the opponent's store is always skipped. You cannot stop midway or switch to another pit.
The original pit is emptied at the start of the sow, so a seed returns there only if the lap is long enough to come around again. Example: South sows four seeds from pit c. They land on d, e, f, and the store. Because the last seed entered the store, South sows again.
Extra turns and captures
When the last seed lands in your store, you get another turn and may choose any remaining non-empty pit on your row. Consecutive store landings can chain until a sow does not end in the store.
A capture needs three things at once: the last seed must land on your side, the landing pit must have been empty before that seed arrived, and the opposite pit must hold seeds if you want more than the landing seed. If any one of those fails, there is no capture. A capture never grants another turn: in Kalah those two results cannot happen on the same last seed.
How the game ends
As soon as a move leaves one player's row empty, the game ends. The opponent does not get a final reply. Remaining seeds on the other row are scooped into that player's store. Compare the two stores: the larger count wins, and equal counts are a draw.
Players may also agree a draw. Online rooms can end by resignation.
How it works on this site
The board blocks illegal taps for you, so empty pits, the other row, and other invalid choices do not spend the turn. Against AI you may sit South or North; use hints when you want a nudge, undo if you want to take back your move and the reply, and replay after the game to review the turning point. Two-player mode shares one device, and online rooms let the host choose South or North first.
If you get stuck mid-game, think in this order: is it my turn, which pits on my row still hold seeds, and where does the last seed of this sow finish? If you can answer those three questions, you can usually finish the first game without trouble. Once sowing feels familiar, continue with Mancala tips.
FAQ
Which side moves first in mancala?
South always sows first. Against AI you may sit South or North; if you sit North, the AI sows the opening move.
Do seeds ever drop into the opponent's store?
No. Your store receives a seed when you pass it; the opponent's store is skipped.
What exactly counts as a capture?
The last seed must land in an empty pit on your own row. If that happens, the landing seed and any seeds in the opposite pit go into your store. If the opposite pit is empty, you keep only the landing seed.
Does emptying one row end the game immediately?
Yes. As soon as a move leaves one row empty, the game stops. Leftover seeds on the other row go into that store, then the stores are compared.
Is Kalah the same as every other mancala game?
No. This site plays Kalah only: six pits of four seeds, extra turns into your store, and opposite-pit captures. Other sowing games use different pit counts, directions, or capture rules.
