Mancala
All ages
This review was submitted by Conor Coggins, a sixth grader from Alabama.
I was just minding my business when someone came up to me and ask me to play Mancala, and ever since they taught me I have loved the game.
Mancala is a very old game that dates back to 500–700 AD Ethiopia. In the game you have two holes (one on each player’s scoring side) and both players sit facing each other with the scoring holes at the sides, and they choose who gets what scoring hole.
There are twelve holes and six are on each player’s side, and they are all filled with an equal number of marbles. There can be two to six marbles in each hole. The first player picks up one pile of marbles one their side and moves their hand over each hole after the first and drops a marble in it. When you pass your hole, drop a marble in, but not your opponent’s. When you run out of marbles and land in a hole with marbles previously in it you pick up that pile and repeat. If you land in your hole, you pick up the pile before the hole. When you land in an empty pile your turn is over for the other player to repeat.
The game is very flexible with its rules and even has a four player version. You can buy it from Amazon.com for $19.99.
Other TIPsters would like this game because is make you have to think what pile you will land in and how many marbles you have. It also makes you want to play and find another person to beat.