Spark & Whetstonethe grown-up commons

Heirloom Rules

Mancala, ô ăn quan, oware: the sowing games are played all over the world, and almost every family has its own rules. Answer six questions in pictures, the way your family plays, and this writes the card. Ask the oldest player at the table to check it.

How does your family play?

How many cups on each side? Five Six Seven

How many seeds start in each cup? Three Four Five

Is there a big store cup at each end? Yes, you drop seeds in your store No, you keep captured seeds in your hand

How do you win seeds? Land in an empty cup on your side Make two or three on their side Skip an empty cup and take the next

Do you ever get another turn? Yes, when the last seed lands in your store Keep sowing from where you land No, turns always pass

When does the game end? When one side is empty When someone has more than half

Our family's rules

The sowing game, the way we play it

The board has two rows of six cups, one row for each player.
Put four seeds in every cup to start.
That is 48 seeds in all. Sow by picking up every seed in one of your cups and dropping one in each cup, going round to the right.
Each player has a store at their right-hand end; when you pass your own store, drop a seed in it.
If your last seed lands in an empty cup on your side, take it and the seeds in the cup opposite.
If your last seed lands in your own store, take another turn.
The game ends when one player has no seeds on their side. Whoever has captured more seeds wins.

Closest traditional game: Kalah (4 of 4 rules the same).

Play it on a real board, or try AtlasTales on Spark & Anvil, which has ô ăn quan and other games of the world.