From ejackman@delphi.com Sun Aug 21 18:31:37 1994 From: Edward Jackman Newsgroups: rec.games.abstract Subject: Mancala rules - multilap version with variations plus a Challenge Date: Fri, 19 Aug 94 04:06:10 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) NNTP-Posting-Host: bos1d.delphi.com Here is a mancala game with some variations and a couple challenges. The board is 2x6 with a store on each end. North f e d c b a North's holes ----> 4 4 4 4 4 4 North's store --> 0 0 <-- South's store 4 4 4 4 4 4 <---- South's holes A B C D E F South The player begins by lifting all the seeds from one of the holes (A, B, C, D, E or F for South, and a, b, c, d, e, or f for North) and then drops them one at a time counter- clockwise in all the other holes, including the player's own store but excluding the opponent's store. This lifting and sowing of all the seeds in a hole is a *lap*. There are five possible outcomes to each lap. They are: 1) If the last seed of a lap falls in the player's store, the player gets another turn to start a lap from any of his or her own holes. There is no limit to the number of extra turns. 2) If the last seed of a lap falls in any hole other that the store with at least one seed in it, the player lifts them all and continues sowing. There is no limit to the number of laps per turn. 3) If the last seed of a lap falls in an empty hole on the *opponent's* side of the board, the turn is over. 4) If the last seed of a lap falls in an empty hole on the *player's* side of the board, and the hole directly across from it on the opponent's side is *empty*, the turn is over. 5) If the last seed of a lap falls in an empty hole on the *player'* side of the board, and the hole directly across from it on the opponent's side has at least one seed in it, all seeds in both holes are captured and placed in the player's store, ending the turn. Also, if you start a lap from a hole with more 12 seeds, you do *not* skip over the starting hole on your way around. In other words, the 13th seed ends up back in the hole it started in. (This is the opposite of the rule in Wari.) The game ends when all the seeds are captured. A player who has no seeds passes. You are *not* compelled to give your opponent a seed to move. The player with the most seeds is the winner. The trouble with this version is that the first player has enough options to make it possible to win before the second player even takes a turn! Of course, when we were kids, we played a lot before I figured this out. Here is the challenge: Find the maximum number of seeds the first player can capture without the second player getting a turn. Give the sequence of moves and the total captured. (So far, 30 is the best I've done.) What is the maximum number of seeds the first player can capture regardless of the moves the second player makes. Is it possible to force a 48 to nothing win? Email me your results and I'll post a summary and the best answer. To make the game playable make one of these modifications: A) Change the number of seeds in the holes. If you play with six seed per hole, the game is nearly identical to 'Dakon' as described by Laurence Russ in 'Mancala Games'. Of course, with a little study, the first player can win more that half the seeds outright in this case also. B) One player takes all the seeds from one hole and places each of them in any holes on either side of the board. The other player then which side to take. Finally the first player decides who goes first. Another variation is for one player to distribute the seeds anyway at all. Still, with careful study, the game is decided in one or two turns. C) Ignore rule #2 and play the game with single laps only. This changes the game completely. This is identical to 'Kalah' described in 'Board Games Round the World' by Bell and Cornelius. That game uses either 3, 4, 5 or 6 seeds per hole. This seems like a very common version, at least in the US. D) Change rule #1 so that when your last seed lands in your store, your turn ends. This also changes the game completely. This is similar to Congklak also described in BGRW. That game uses a 2x5 board with five seeds per hole. E) Do not sow into your store. This also eliminates rule #1 and limits you to a one multilap turn. F) Do not allow players to touch or count seeds in holes before picking which hole to play from. You may 'eyeball' the hole, but that's it. This is a common rule. It may not prevent you from running the board right from the start if you've memorized a winning sequence, but combined with variation 'A' you've got a good, playable game without changing the nature of the game. Of course, you can't help but count the seeds when you're playing through the email! Edward Jackman ejackman@delphi.com