Mancala Meadow: a free browser game
Mancala Meadow is an original browser implementation of Kalah, a common Mancala ruleset. Two sides begin with six pits of four seeds, plus an empty store each. Sow seeds around the board, look for an extra turn in your own store, and plan captures from an empty pit on your side. Play a casual computer or choose local two-player mode for two people sharing the same device.
How to play Mancala Meadow
- Distribute seeds one at a time around the board. Include your own store and skip your opponent’s store.
- If the last seed lands in your store, take another turn. If it lands in an empty pit on your side and the opposite pit holds seeds, capture both into your store.
- When either side has no seeds in its six pits, collect the other side’s remaining seeds into its store. The larger final store wins; equal stores draw.
Mancala Meadow strategy
Count before you sow
A pit whose seed count lands exactly in your store offers an extra turn. That can let you prepare another move before your opponent gets a response.
Notice the empty pits
An empty pit on your side can become a capture opportunity if your final seed lands there opposite a filled enemy pit. A capture requires seeds in that opposite pit.
Read the ending carefully
Emptying your own side ends the round, but it does not necessarily win. The remaining seeds on the other side are swept into that opponent’s store before the final comparison.
A worked example
On your lower row, the third pit begins with four seeds. Sowing it reaches the fourth, fifth and sixth pits, then your store, giving you another turn. A move ending in the opponent’s store is never possible because that store is skipped.
Questions about Mancala Meadow
Which Mancala rules are used?
This player uses Kalah with six pits per side, four starting seeds per pit, extra turns, opposite-pit captures and an end-of-round sweep. Other Mancala variants can have different rules.
Can I play against a friend online?
Two-player mode is for two people on this device. This edition has no remote matchmaking or room code.
How strong is the computer?
It is a casual opponent that prefers immediate store gains and extra turns. It is not described as perfect play or a ranked competitive engine.
What does Undo do against the computer?
It restores the position before your previous decision, including the computer response or responses that followed. Local two-player mode undoes the most recent sow.
Local progress, keyboard play and privacy
This original player runs in your browser. Refreshing the same tab restores the puzzle and its bounded undo history; closing the tab ends that session. If tab storage is blocked, the live round remains playable and the player explains the limitation. Keyboard users can reach controls with Tab and activate buttons with Enter or Space. The player sends no guesses, word groups, moves or hint requests to a remote game service. Read the storage details →