It is acceptable, but not necessary, to indicate the number of such non-standard cycles after the tilde sign ( ~).īao la Kiswahili - (4x8+0/1C/2) - two cycles.ĭiffusion - (2圆+2/0/~) - non-standard cycles. It is recorded in the first information block (Board dimension) after the description of special holes and is separated by a forward slash ( /), if no cycles exist, then zero ( 0) is set, if the cycles are non-standard, for example, partially overlapping or several overlapping, then the tilde sign ( ~). Usually, two-row and three-row mancals have one cycle, which covers the entire board, both on their side and on the opponent’s side, that is, during sowing, the stones are distributed not only into their holes, but also into the opponent’s holes.įour-row mancals or, for example, six-row ones, as a rule have two separate cycles, each of which affects only a part of the board belonging to one of the players, that is, during sowing, stones are distributed only in their holes, and stones are captured on the opponent’s side under special conditions. The number of cycles is how stones are distributed during sowing.

There are three main types of game: two ranks (holes in two rows), three ranks (holes in three rows) and four ranks (holes in four rows).Ī feature of most games of the Mancala family is the cycling of the seeding, that is, the distribution of stones in the holes along a certain path. The number of rows on the board determines the rank of the mancala. The number of rows on the board can be from 1 (for example, Chuka Ruma) and up to N (for example, Laomuzhuqi Nx5). (Board dimension storage holes special holes number of cycles)(Sowing type seeding direction)(Direction of hole counting number of holes per player)(Number of stones)(Number of players) All descriptions and information blocks are written without spaces. Also, the description can serve for the selection of games with any identical properties and their further analysis.Įach information block of certain characteristics of the game is enclosed in parentheses. Recording the characteristics of the game (description) allows you to quickly assess the alleged capabilities of a particular mancala. I hope those who are immersed in mancala will understand the usability and take them into service. This description is the second version created in 2018, which laid the principle of universality for understanding and use by a native speaker of any language. Efremov, 2018, first version of the description was developed in Russian in 2015 for personal use. Description of the characteristics of the games of the Mancala familyĬopyright (C) Andrey N.

Mancala stones