Mancala Instructions

Set Up
The board is placed between the two players with the long sides facing them. The six cups nearest each player belong to them and their larger scoring cups or mancala is to the right. Four gemstones are placed in each of the 12 cups. (In Random Stone Version, the number of stones in each cup will vary, the number of stones each player will start with will be 24).

Object
Each player attempts to collect as many pebbles as possible before one of the players clears their side of pebbles.

Play
Players alternate turns. In their turn each player picks up all the pebbles from one cup on their side of the board and places them one by one in the cups around the board in a counter-clockwise direction, including his mancala, but not in the opponent's mancala. If the last pebble is placed in the player's own mancala, that player goes again. If the last pebble is placed in an empty cup on the player's own side, they may take all the gemstones from the opponent's cup directly opposite that cup. All the pebbles captured including the capturing pebble are placed in the players own mancala.

To Win
The game is over when a player has no more pebbles in any of the cups on their side. The remaining pebbles are placed in the mancala of the player who emptied their side of pebbles. The winner is the player with the most pebbles in their mancala.