What is Oware?

Oware is a two-player mancala game from the Akan peoples of Ghana, played across West Africa and the Caribbean under names such as Awari, Ouril and Warri. This version uses abapa, the rule set used in most tournaments.

How to play

• The board has two rows of six houses, with four seeds in each.
• On your turn, take all the seeds from one of your houses and sow them one at a time, counter-clockwise. A house holding 12 or more seeds skips the house it came from.
• If your last seed lands in an enemy house and brings it to 2 or 3, you capture those seeds, along with any unbroken run of 2s and 3s just before it.
• If your opponent has no seeds, you must make a move that gives them some.
• A move that would capture every enemy seed is a grand slam. It may be played, but it captures nothing.
• The first player to 25 seeds wins.

Strategy

• Build a large house, called a kroo, which laps the board and hits several weak houses at once.
• Houses holding 1 or 2 seeds are targets. Empty houses become targets as soon as seeds arrive.
• Count how many moves you have left. Running short forces you to open your position.

Ways to play

• Against the computer: four levels. Wins raise your rating, which sets your place on the leaderboard.
• Quick match: an online opponent, with a computer player stepping in if nobody is around.
• Play a friend: make a private room and send the code or link.
• One screen: two players take turns on the same device.

FAQ

Is Oware the same as Mancala? Mancala is a family of hundreds of sowing games. Oware is one of its best known members and has different capture rules from the Kalah version sold in many toy shops.

How do you win Oware? Capture 25 of the 48 seeds. If play can go no further, each side keeps the seeds on its own row.

What happens if the game goes round in circles? This version ends a very long game and each player keeps the seeds on their side.