Instead, a player's turn only ends once they drop their last stone into an empty hole. If you're playing Avalanche mode, the capturing mechanic doesn't come into play. At this point, whoever has the most stones totaled in their mancala and in their row will win Mancala! What Are the Rules for Mancala in Avalanche Mode? The game ends once one of the rows empties completely. Those stones then go to your mancala! Once you do this, your turn is over. When you drop your last stone into an empty pocket in your row, you 'capture' that one stone and all stones in your opponent's opposite pocket. Now, in Capture mode, there is one important rule to keep note of. What Are the Rules for Mancala in Capture Mode? That way, you'll understand the game modes better. Make sure that you understand the basics as I've written above. I'll describe these modes in detail, but the fundamentals are the same. You can play in Capture mode or Avalanche mode. The rules are different depending on the one you choose.

However, there is something else you should know, and that's the game modes for Mancala.

However, keep in mind that if a player's last stone gets dropped in their mancala, they get an extra turn. After this, the opponent selects a pocket to start their turn. So, if after moving counter-clockwise, you fill all your opponent's pockets, you will have to skip from their last hole straight to your first one.Ī player's turn ends when they have no more stones to drop after picking from a hole. Note that you can't drop stones in the mancala of your opponent. However, as the game goes on, you may begin picking more stones from a single pocket. Then, you will drop one stone in the fifth pocket, the sixth pocket, your mancala, and one in the opponent's pocket.Īt the beginning of the game, you have just four stones in each pocket. All the stones in that pocket will be taken out and one stone will be dropped in each subsequent pocket, moving counter-clockwise.įor instance, if you choose the fourth pocket, you will take out all the stones there, leaving an empty pocket. Player one starts the game by selecting any of their pockets. When the game ends, whoever has the most stones in their mancala wins. Your objective is to move stones from your pockets to your mancala. When the game starts, each pocket has four stones and the mancalas are both empty. Each player has a different view of the board, so your opponent's mancala will appear at the bottom of their own screen. Your mancala is at the bottom of the display and your opponent's mancala is the one at the top. Your pockets are the ones at your side (the left), and the other person's pockets are the ones opposite you.Īt each end of the board, there is a larger hole, known as a mancala, or a store. Each row has six holes, called pockets in this game. The game is played on a board with two rows. The fundamentals of the game are easy to understand.

If you're sending the game, your opponent will always be the first player. The person starting the game on iMessage chooses the mode, the difficulty, and sends it to any of their contacts. Fortunately, iMessage makes it easy to compete with another player, even if they're across the planet. Mancala is a game for two players, so you'll need to have an opponent ready. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first time you've heard of the game Mancala. What Are the Rules for a Game of Mancala?

You will see multiple game options available.

When you open the App Drawer, scroll to the far right and you should see the GamePigeon icon there.

You should see the GamePigeon application show up.

Tap the magnifying glass and type in 'GamePigeon' to search for it.

Tap the App Store icon to launch the App Store for iMessage.

Select the App Drawer icon near the bottom-left corner.

Mancala app