Kalaha

Here on this page, you will find our selection of Kalaha games! Kalaha is a classic game that many have at home or know from after-school programs or vacation homes. The game originates from Africa and is one of the oldest games in the world. It is also known as Mancala, and the version we know today was introduced in the 1940s by American William J. Champion Jr.

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Kalaha is played by two people and involves collecting as many pieces as possible in one's own Kalaha. This is done by moving pieces around the board and positioning them correctly so they can be moved into one's own Kalaha. Below, you will find a walkthrough of the game rules. The game is super easy to learn, so everyone can join in, but it still requires a bit of strategic thinking and planning. Therefore, the game is especially good if played with younger children, as it is easy to get started, does not take too long to play, and is tactically enough to help them develop their strategic planning skills.

FUN FACT: Although the game has existed for many years, the word Kalaha was first included in the Danish dictionary in 1977.

Kalaha Rules

Kalaha is an easy strategic board game played by two people and consists of a board with 14 holes. 12 small holes distributed on two sides and 2 large holes at each end of the board – these are called Kalaha. In addition to the board, the game also includes between 48 and 72 pieces/balls/stones. The number of pieces used depends on which variation of the game is being played.

Watch the video above for a quick walkthrough of Kalaha/Mancala.

As many people first encounter Kalaha in childhood, many are also introduced to the game with some extra simplified rules. However, these overlook some of the nuances of the game, so below we go through the game's primary rules including those that many skip:

• Start: When starting a game of Kalaha, each player places 4 pieces in each of the six holes on their side of the board. You can also play with 3, 5, or 6 pieces in each.
  
  
• Play: Players take turns. On their turn, a player takes all the pieces from one of the holes on their side of the board and then places one piece in each of the subsequent holes. This is done clockwise until there are no more pieces left. One always skips the opponent's Kalaha.
  
  
• Pick up: If the last piece lands in the player's own Kalaha, they get an extra turn immediately. If the piece lands in an empty hole on the player's own side, they may take all the pieces in the opposite hole on the opponent's side and place them in their Kalaha.
  
  
• Points: When all the pieces on one side of the board are gone, the game ends and the player who finished may add all remaining pieces on the opponent's side to their Kalaha. Then, the number of pieces in each Kalaha is counted and the player with the most pieces wins.
  
  
• Draw: If both players have the same number of pieces in their Kalaha, the game ends in a draw.