Kalah vs mancala: what is the difference?

Mancala is a family, Kalah is one game in it

The word mancala is used for many traditional games in which you pick up seeds from one pit and drop them one by one into the pits that follow. Different regions have their own versions, with their own names and their own rules for capturing. Oware and congklak are two names you will meet if you search for the family, and Kalah is another.

That is why asking whether Kalah and mancala are the same thing gets two answers. If you mean the family, Kalah is inside it. If you mean a specific rulebook, mancala on its own does not name one, and you have to check which rules a board or app really uses.

The Kalah rules in a nutshell

Kalah is played on a board with six pits and a store for each player. You pick up all the seeds from one of your pits and sow them counter-clockwise, one per pit, dropping one in your own store each time you pass it. The opponent's store is skipped.

Two rules give Kalah its character. If your last seed lands in your own store, you take another turn. If it lands in an empty pit on your side, you capture the seeds in the pit opposite, taking them with your own seed. When one side's pits are empty, the other player stores whatever is left on their side and the game ends.

Where other mancala games differ

Because mancala is a family, the differences usually sit in the details: how many pits a side has, which way you sow, whether you keep a store at all, and when a capture happens. Some versions score only by capturing seeds from the opponent's side, while Kalah rewards you for filling your store.

This is the part worth checking before you start a game against someone. Agree on whether your last seed can earn an extra turn, and what happens when you land in an empty pit. Two players who each think they know mancala can end up arguing over a rule that simply changes from version to version.

Which mancala rules does Seed Bowl use?

Seed Bowl uses Kalah: six pits and a store each, seeds sown counter-clockwise, the opponent's store skipped. So if you search for mancala and land on it, you are playing the Kalah version.

The game has two modes. Levels pit you against the computer, which looks further ahead every few levels, and the first game has a coach that points at good pits. 2 players lets two people share one screen and take turns, which is handy if you are teaching the rules to a friend.

Seed BowlMancala — sow, capture, fill your storePlay now

Tips that carry over from Kalah to other versions

Count your seeds. A pit holding exactly as many seeds as it has steps to your store earns a free turn, and that idea matters in almost any version where reaching a store gives something back. When you have several free turns, play the one nearest your store first.

Keep an empty pit ready opposite a full pit of theirs, and avoid leaving a big pile across from one of their empty pits. Near the end, remember that keeping seeds on your own side can win the final sweep. For a longer walk through strategy, see the Seed Bowl guide.

If you like Kalah, try these next

Kalah belongs to the group of calm two-player board games where a good plan beats fast fingers. If that is what you enjoy, Crown Hop covers checkers-style strategy, Five Stones is gomoku, and Flip Side is a reversi game. Each is a quick turn-based game you can play against the computer.

Crown HopCheckers and draughts — Classic, Russian, Brazilian or InternationalPlay now

Five StonesGomoku on a 3D board — get five in a row before they doPlay now

Frequently asked questions

Guides & tips

• Box Claim: dots and boxes rules and winning strategy

Play it here

• Seed Bowl — Mancala — sow, capture, fill your store
• Crown Hop — Checkers and draughts — Classic, Russian, Brazilian or International
• Five Stones — Gomoku on a 3D board — get five in a row before they do
• Flipside — Reversi on a 3D board — trap a line, flip it your colour