How To Play Mancala The Right Way!! With Gameplay

How to play mancala the right way with an example of gameplay. The following is the video script:
How to play your new favorite 2-player game! Actually, it’s an old game but if you’re like me and have been lied to your whole life, this will be revolutionary. Most of us have been taught how to play the child version of Mancala, where one player continues his turn endlessly until he or she lands in an empty space. Though this PG version can be sort of fun, I find the “ages 8 and up” version to be much more interesting. Allow me to show you how Mancala is really meant to be played. Start by putting 4 marbles into each small cup. Players take turns choosing a cup and moving the pieces in it counter-clockwise putting one marble in each cup. Each player can only start moving pieces from their side of the board. When they get to the scoring cups, called mancalas, they only put marbles into their own mancala and skip the opponent’s if they get to it. The ONLY time a player gets to go again is if their last piece lands into their mancala. And here is my favorite part of the game! You can steal pieces from the other player! Here’s how it works: If your last playing piece is placed into an empty cup on YOUR side, you may then take that marble and all of the marbles from your opponent’s cup, which is across from you, and put them into your mancala. If the opposing cup has no marbles in it, then nothing happens. The game ends when all six cups on one side of the board are empty. The player who still has pieces on their side of the board when the game ends, gets to take all those pieces and put them into their mancala. Whichever player has more pieces in their mancala is the winner! We like to count by simply distributing all the pieces from the mancalas back into each players’ cups. The player who is missing pieces on their side is the loser and gets to demand another match. That is all, do enjoy your new favorite game! And in case you still have unanswered questions, here is one more example of gameplay that will hopefully answer them for you.
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[@STargaryan]

Thanks a tonn for your tutorial..I saw couple of other videos but this is the best one on Mancala..can't wait to play with my buddies...

[@seldoon_nemar]

I bought this on a whim at target because my wife needed an emergency scrabble set, and i remembered playing as a kid. Well, i was only remembered the "kids way" but something felt off when playing like that. this video brought back a ton of other memories of playing latter in my childhood, so thank you for this!

[@ike7933]

I love that game ….I have always played the two player game ….I’ve never heard of the one player version….😂…..I just played with my 4 year old daughter the other night for the first time …..I think she liked to hold the rocks more than anything else . Where I grew up everyone played this game , but every family had there own extra “house rules” that they would add on ….we had to remember different rules for everyone’s house ….good memories 😂😊…..God bless you this holiday season brotha🌲

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Haha that sounds awesome! It's kind of like UNO. Everyone has their own rules so before playing the game everyone needs to get on the same page. 😄 I have a 4 year old son and it's exactly the same here. The marbles are more exciting than the game. 😂 Thank you, God bless you and yours too!! Merry upcoming Christmas! 🎄🎄🎄

[@Jas-cn3hl]

I've seen MANY different ways of playing this game, but this is the first time I've seen it played this way. It's crazy to think I've been playing this wrong my entire life. Thanks for the information. I have to try playing it the right way with my husband and teach my family the right way to play as well. I'll continue to play the kid's version with my son, nephew and other kids tho and also teach them the right way once they're old enough to understand all the rules.

[@Kozkayn]

nobody is actually playing it wrong (unless if its the infinite version) this is the most common westernized version but there are many versions as mancala is a type of board games not a board game itself there are turkic mancalas nigerian mancalas and even ancient mancalas from egypt

[@fuxbox]

what makes this the "right" way?

[@thefreckledafrikan]

This funny. Bc there’s really only 1 way to properly play

[@offtherails7585]

@@thefreckledafrikan There's no "right" or "proper" way to play Mancala. Mancala is simply just a group of over 200 variants of similar games, and it's pretty inconsiderate to define one way as being the "correct" way. The version explained as the "right" way in the video is just the modern North American commercial variant called Kalah. Yet, the Oware variant of Mancala is still a more widely played version around the world, which is also used in Mancala championships. If anything, that should be the more "proper" and standardized way to play.

[@DogmaFight]

This is how I was taught to play as a kid. Never knew there was a "kid's" version. I always enjoyed thinking through strategies, even when I was young.

[@jujube2407]

I just bought a "travel set" of mancala at a thrift store and the directions were abysmal! Thankyou for the clear directions! Girl scout camping will be sooooooo much more fun now!!!

[@bonesandchains]

I just bought that exact same board today!!! I got it from Walmart for $9.97. Lol I forgot how to play but I remember loving this game so much, so I bought it to play with my friends on new year's ❤

[@shannapelton9557]

This is the way I learned when I was in grade school. I’m 42.. I didn’t even know there was more way other then Avalanche

Same (and actually same age!). We had that game when I was a kid and this is how the rulebook said it's played. Do they have other rules in the book for some editions?

[@WaffleClap]

I used to play this in middle school in the mornings waiting for class to start

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Yep! Elementary and middle schools tend to enjoy this game it seems 😄

[@OhRycee]

I used to play this in elementary school

[@vincentpopovski9435]

Wow I really love you so much. This is the best video explaining. Thank you for teaching me and my new girlfriend of 3 days how to play. It’s really growing our bond

[@katieinvalpo]

We played this at our public park during the summer. They had counselors during the weekdays for kids to have adults around. So many memories playing with neighborhood kids.

[@tasminrahman8494]

Game actually ended 1.52 with top player winning In the version we play the person who empties their 6 pits first take the stones from the opponents side and the game ends.

[@heatherwhite2920]

This is exactly how we played also. When the pits are emptied you take the opponents remaining stones as technically the first to finish should. Not the other way around.

[@underdog06]

I was gonna say... They ended the game twice.

[@Geminish15]

I agree, its kinda weird you get punished for emptying your side first.

[@paulemerick8661]

Many different ways to play mancala/oware/congkak/congka/dakon/sungka/etc. (depending on what the given country calls it and plays by for rules). I wouldn't say there is one right way to play it since there are multiple ways/sets of rules it is played.

[@paul16451]

I never played the so-called "PG" version. Whenever I received a new game I was always taught to read the instructions first, and they were exactly the way you showed. The only difference on my set was that it was called "Kalah" and was blue plastic instead of wood.

[@NihilisticBallman]

I thought this is how most Americans played. I played it the proper way. Glad I was right.

[@helloshibuya7425]

I also saw a version where someone said you are only allowed to move when there are at least two pieces in the pit… I feel like everyone makes their own rules 😅😂

[@l0v3ly54]

I used to play this at summer camp when I was younger but I forgot how to play. I bought the game today to play again, and since I can’t follow instructions that come with the game, this helped a lot

[@thefreckledafrikan]

It’s called a “capture” when your last piece in play lands in a pit on your side and your opponent has an occupied pit directly adjacent to it. You capture all their pieces in that pit and your single piece and place it in your reservoir. 😘 Whenever you move in play and your last piece goes into the reservoir, you get a “free” (free turn to continue your play). Be very strategic in order to get as many free plays & captures or huge captures as possible.

[@cmd_f5]

Nice. Got this game last night and it's so much fun. Cheers :)

[@Nothingsmatter90]

Thank you so much for this! This is how I played it as a child, but the stealing the opponents marbles was new!!!! Def going to try!!!!

[@Sushilover01]

The comments on here are so wholesome! I also have lots of memories as a child playing this wonderful game with my grandma and family.

[@nunyabiznes33]

I guess this is the Westernized version of it. The boards in my country have 7 plots per row with 7 seeds each and go clockwise, with the store to the player's left. The direction seem to differ though. I also remember childhood games where we pick whether we want the store to the left or right.

[@jen2318]

Thank you for this video. You just settled a debate between my sister and me where my interpretation of the rules has been validated. She was playing child rules. Take that sis! 😝 ❤

[@Eddy63]

Reminds me of an old Joe South song '''The games people play '' 😂😂😂Aloha ...

[@WordofAdviceTV]

I don't know that song but I can guess what it's about 😅 Aloha from Hawaii Eddy! Have a wonderful new week!!

[@life4ever641]

Thanks. Very clear your explanations. Do you know how to play Mancala for four players?

[@wannabetrucker7475]

Have never seen this, but like games that are not run of the mill. Thx am going to check your other tutorials

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Glad I could introduce you to it then! It's a fun little game. My family enjoys board games so that's how I ended up making the few game tutorial videos. 😎 Hope you find one you like!

[@411Lemon]

Ive always played this the traditional way which is this way. I did find it funner adjusting to others styles more though lol

[@harrydickson4575]

Never heard of the game but pretty cool👍👍

[@WordofAdviceTV]

I erroneously thought most people know this game from childhood . 😅 The comment section has proved me wrong lol. Thanks for stopping by Harry!! Have a fantastic new week!

[@mapantomime]

I literally JUST purchased that EXACT set only a few hours ago!!!

[@ABeautifulMine]

Around a minute fifty you show one player emptying their side, and then continue to play. Immediately after that, you explain that the player to clear their side ends the game. I've always played this game this way except at the end we play that whoever clears their side first gets all the pieces from the other side. We also have a rule that you can't touch your pieces unless you're moving them. Like you can't poke them around to count or anything except scooting a wayward piece back to it's place. I was confused by the playing when it should have ended, but this is a very good video regardless. I think I'm gonna give this ending a try as a variation

[@benmarstar]

I downloaded a Mancala app. If your side gets rid of the pieces first then you also obtain the remaining pieces from the other side and it’s added to your score.

[@heatherwhite2920]

Yes, this is exactly how I was taught to play. If you empty your side first, you capture the remaining stones of the other player.

[@sandradecker6193]

I started playing it in 8th grade I was about 11 or 12 years old now I'm 34 almost 35. I miss playing this game. Thought about making my own game set

[@amfulger]

When capturing pieces, the rules seem open to interpretation as to whether the piece that does the capturing also goes to the mancala.

[@katuni08]

In the instructions that came with my new set, it specifically said that the capturing piece is also claimed. Though that’s one set, other sets may have different instructions 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@jaytoussaint9598]

We were playing where you didn’t capture, you just stole, and only on the end ones if you landed on it on your side. This description makes things so much faster lol. Excited to try it out.

[@LUKE390425]

@@jaytoussaint9598 what happens if you land 1 gemstone on your side, but there’s no gemstones opposite of it. Do you take the 1 gemstone or does their have to be gemstones across from the 1 in order to capture

[@ryanbillig7454]

Thanks for the video. Maybe a little hyperbolic to say you've been lied to. There are many, many ways to play this ancient game. But your point is well taken.

[@jennawaddingham37]

Best tutorial Thanks ! I remembered this.

[@joseasse]

Hello, thank you for the video and clear explanation! Just one question: ¿Why didn’t the game end on 1:51 if there were no pieces on the top?

[@WordofAdviceTV]

It depends on how you decide to play. You can either end the game immediately once one side is empty or the other player needs to make one last move. If that last move forces him to put pieces on the other side, then the game continues. We were playing with the second option so @1:51 the bottom player had to make one last move. If he would have been able to still keep all his pieces on his side, then it would be instant game over.

[@joseasse]

@@WordofAdviceTV thank you for the quick and clear reply :)

[@anthonyamurri9278]

Funny enough I have this exact board. Finally opened it and started to read the instructions out loud to my girl when I realized the rules where all wrong. Come to KZbin to find out what's going on and I soon realize I was playing the kids version haha

[@sed4180]

I never understood, if the point is to have more "marbles" in your Mancala, why does the person who didnt clear there side get to keep those marbles? It rewards them for not being the better at strategy.

[@JohnDoe-ej1lw]

Hey jay..ive never played this game but seems interesting..maybe with the fam on Christmas 👍 btw.. I hope you and your family weren't affected by the floodings in HAWAII. 😕 stay safe buddy God bless..

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Oh it's a fun little game! I'm sure you'd enjoy it. The only downside is that it's a 2 player game. Thank you for the concern! We had a lot of rain, strong winds, and a power outage but luckily no floods on our side of the island. All is good and the weather is back to normal. Stay safe as well John! God bless you and yours, aloha from Hawaii! 🌴🌴🌴

[@jaytoussaint9598]

This comment took me off guard for like half a sec bc that’s my name too. Lol.

[@codyhouser4494]

This is definitely how I remember playing it

[@TheAgentAPM]

Have you noticed that you could play this game with nothing but a deck of cards? Such deck has 52 cards and 2 jokers, so 6 face-up cards can mark the spaces, and 48 remaining cards can be distributed face-down on the each side!

[@Wolfgath]

Full rules allows the acting player to move counter clockwise as well if they choose.

[@iriswhite3184]

Thank you so much for this. I was playing on a app and got extremely confused

[@DCVaStorm]

You said that the game ends when all 6 cups on one side of the board are empty. At time 1:51 of the game, all 6 are empty for PLAYER 2, yet you continue playing.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

We disobeyed the rules there just to continue gameplay for the video 😇 but actually I've played with people who don't immedietly end the game, the other player must make one final move. If that makes sense.. I always say that as long as both players are in agreement, modifying rules only makes it more fun! 😎👍👍

[@DCVaStorm]

@@WordofAdviceTV I understand. In your rule modification, you end the game when one player no longer has a move, which makes more sense to me.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

@@DCVaStorm Yes. The way you worded it is perfect! 👍

[@jaytoussaint9598]

We played it where you can only steal from the last pod before your mancala.

[@LUKE390425]

@@DCVaStorm eye eye eye I had to dig for this clarification. I wish he woulda said what he was doing instead of confusing me. I get it now thanks to your comment so thanks

[@claytonfite3197]

Interesting. So the colors of the marbles have no value or are not assigned to a player. all marbles are the same and make no difference who can move them. Other than each player gets a turn moving them to the rules. I've never played this game and it's new to me. Looks fun

[@WordofAdviceTV]

I think you summarized it just right! I should have been more thorough in my tutorial, like your summary. For some reason I had the idea in my head that most people know of this simple game but it turns out I was wrong.

[@jaytoussaint9598]

That was confusing to me at first too.

[@bayareaelectical]

We used to play it 40 years back back on India while grazing cattle. There we call it “Ghanchaal”

[@netalekh6443]

Thank you!!!👍👍👍

[@Lordodragonss]

This was great tutorial!

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Thank you! Glad you liked it 🙂

[@Gaming_2.0.9]

Bro forgot that he won at 1:52 and kept playing, but great video dude

[@davidmckinney6577]

Hello 👋👋 good buddy 👍 Jay I have never heard of this game before it looks interesting but if you have to get two people to play them I'm not going to be able to play it . idk how Arnold is about games he just loves to watch tv... hope you all are doing well my friend 🙏 god bless you and your family 🙏 my friend I haven't been feeling well for the last few days but I hope and pray 🙏 everything work out for me it's just uncertain times for me.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Aloha David! I just imagined you playing with Arnold. Wouldn't that be a sight! 😄 (with him actually playing) But watching TV together sounds like a good way to hang out too! I do hope that you will feel better soon!! I just prayed for you my friend. 🙏 May you recover to 100% well before Christmas arrives! God bless you and Arnold. Greetings from Hawaii!

[@dance4836]

My instructions say to go clockwise. The mancala is still the one to your right.

[@Amirhosseindev]

its so much fun and thnx for this way its so much more fun

[@kuroichan101]

I grew up playing this kids version lmfao it was fun but trying to look back on how we played and it doesnt make sense

[@AltezzaGang15]

Dating a girl who’s a science teacher, she knows a thing or two about math, and she wants to play this on iMessage games. I’m just gonna be straight up with her and tell her I’m an mma fighter, not whatever this is

[@bert1913]

Why is Perry an elite player at this game????

[@ravenshadowz2343]

@01:13 you said you can steal stones from the other player, but what I saw was the last stone went in the Mancala cup, was this a mistake? Because no stones were taken from the other players side, only the one stone that was in the last cup went into the mancala cup.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

You have to actually land in the empty spot with the last marble. @1:13 The single marble was already in there from a previous round. I hope that makes sense. 😅

[@ravenshadowz2343]

@@WordofAdviceTV, thank you!

[@Defnot_azuzu]

I played this with my mom when I was 6 and this is how we playes

[@bradclark4980]

So, if you put a piece in your empty space, and there are no other pieces across from you, do you still get to put your piece in your mancala? I have seen examples where they do.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

With the rules used in this video, the answer is no. If there is no pieces on the opposing side, you would not put your piece in the mancala.

[@rosaliecalipay8657]

Thanks for the help

[@trickytrickshots]

thank you sooooo helpful

[@something_strange3086]

Mancala is so fun but I don't know anyone other than my immediate family who have played it

[@lordomacron3719]

ha ha your 'adult' way was the only way i know how to play as my old Nokia 3310 had Mancala as a game(and snake of course) and that is how I first encounter the game. I now know that Mancala is not actually a game per se but a Rule set or mechanic used by a lot of very old games.

[@OverTonesOfLevi]

I played it this way due to the 90s DOS game with the cheetah lol

[@Ywthg5w6gwvyw]

This is the avalanche version right?

[@claytonbing16]

Why was the game not over at 1:53 when all the pieces were gone from the topside?

[@WordofAdviceTV]

I had a few more things I wanted to show so I hoped most people wouldn't notice that. 😇

[@netalekh6443]

Marry Christmas!!!

[@NurseAyame]

So do you only play on your side? And I thought after your steal you can play again?

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Yes, you can only take pieces from your own side. And stealing does end your turn. 👍

[@TheRonnaEffect]

The directions say to go in a clockwise direction.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

You could go either way really. 😉

[@NEDD70]

So if your last piece goes into a pocket on your opponent’s side you can’t take all the pieces? Only if it lands on your own side?

[@realestateservicessaleshea99]

Nope , I'm a slowski 3 different colors 2 players,counter clockwise,empty cup &tray ? 🤔 Thanks again for the videos? 🥃🥃🍺🍺🍺🎯🏌🏻‍♀️ Stay safe. Retired (werk'n)keyboard super tech. Wear your safety glasses!

[@WordofAdviceTV]

I suppose it's not a game everyone would like. 😅 I probably could have explained it better too. Thank you for stopping by though good sir! Have a fantastic new week!!

[@angelsuniverse6021]

playint with m&ms or skeetles instead of tokens....😂 u eat what u wil😂

[@rosaliecalipay8657]

Good job😎😎😎😎😎

[@masterthee]

Why didnt the game end when one side was empty the first time?

[@WordofAdviceTV]

We sneakily continued just to explain some more things 😇

[@alexrodriguez2664]

Game was over at 1:51 not sure why u kept going

[@apollomorelos727]

we called that Sungka in the Philippines.

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Oh nice! I bet there are a few different ways to play the game too then. Sounds fun!

[@darkonemylife123]

When I was back in 7th grade... We use to Take the marbles and Throw them....

[@waynewang1208]

After watching this with daughter, i give up, so boring.

[@NoName-ec8wd]

Who won’t the last game

[@theprogoobye298]

I played mancala in like 1st grade when the teachers would let us but then I stopped and I’ve completely forgot how to play

[@rainynight02]

I'd played it going to whatever side you chose but never did the empty space takes thing. Just opened a brand new game and actually read the instructions and it said mostly what you said (though didn't elaborate on things) but said you take the goal to the right but you move in a clockwise direction. Which confused me and my wife. Everything else we could understand, but if you lived AWAY from your goal,... That would make it impossible for anyone to win was our thinking.

[@jen2318]

The empty space thing is new to me too. I don’t remember that rule as a child. Elevates the strategic thinking in the game a little.

[@rosaliecalipay8657]

Btw i won 19 times thanks 😎😎😎😎😎

[@jaytoussaint9598]

I watched a documentary with guys in an African tribe playing this game

[@Lil-k47]

i prefer the original way, easier to play

[@MementoVita]

“Actually it’s and old game” No it’s the worlds oldest, sheep praise chess and it’s parallels to life, wolves realize malancala is the game of nature and all beloved religions stem from nature. Practice controlling your own f’in marbles not controlling pawns😂👏 Sorry if I’m so serious but I hate overhype of the philosophy of chess despite the worlds most ancient game

[@WordofAdviceTV]

Good morning to my regular viewers!! I know this Mancala tutorial may seem off topic compared to my usual material (all work and no play would make Jay a dull boy) but believe it or not, I have a whole playlist of game tutorials and decided to add Mancala to it. Christmas is around the corner, people will get this game as a gift, and more trusting souls will be taught the boring version of this game. But no worries, I will graciously save them from such a fate! 😄 Merry upcoming Christmas folks!!! 🎄🎄🎄 For the unbelievers among us who may think I am bluffing about having other game tutorials... Here's substantial proof: How to Play Skip-Bo: shorturl.at/drvyL How to Play Rook: shorturl.at/lP127 How to Play Ticket to Ride: shorturl.at/cdrSX How to Play Blokus: shorturl.at/akmrz How to Play Spinner: shorturl.at/nBENV How to Play Spot It: shorturl.at/bqIS5 How to Play Rummikub: shorturl.at/ovEJ9 How to Play Splendor: shorturl.at/npDTV

[@eliagudes]

I still don’t understand

[@demarcuskennerson9077]

🤔🤔🤔🤔 Hold up that's not how ya play Mancala

[@DimentedButterStick]

Anyone here from the old Club Penguin days 🥲

[@RubiMercuri]

Good to know i was taught mancala the right way 🥲