Controls

You play by choosing a pit to sow from. Tap one of your seven pits, and its seeds sow counterclockwise, one per pit, including into your own store.

The relay rule keeps your turn alive:

• Relay sowing means that if your last seed lands in a pit that already holds seeds, you pick up that whole pit and keep sowing, continuing your turn without passing play.
• Store and capture still apply: landing your last seed in your store earns another turn, and landing in one of your empty pits captures the seeds in the pit opposite.

Because of relay sowing, a single turn can travel around the board several times before it ends in an empty pit or your store.

The player with the most seeds in their store wins. The computer sharpens across eight levels, planning longer relays as you climb.

Tips

• Set up long relay chains. Since landing in a non-empty pit lets you scoop it and continue, choosing a starting pit that keeps landing in full pits can extend a single turn dramatically.
• Aim to end in your store. A turn that finishes in your store grants another move, so among your relay options, favor the ones that end there to keep control of the board.
• Count with the bigger board in mind. Seven pits a side means longer sowing distances than smaller mancala games, so take an extra moment to count where a relay will carry you.
• Watch for captures at the end of a relay. A long relay that finally lands in one of your empty pits can capture the seeds opposite, so setting up that finish can turn a long turn into a big score.
• Don't empty your side carelessly. Keeping seeds spread across your pits gives you more starting points for relays, while dumping everything into one move can leave you with few options next turn.
• Plan the whole turn, not just the first move. Because a turn can continue for a long time, picturing how the relay will unfold before you start lets you choose the pit that leads to the biggest result.

Frequently asked questions