Mancala is an ancient family of board games, and there are numerous variants. This is a version of the basic game, known as two-rank Mancala also known as Kalah.
- 1 Mancala board
- 48 colored plastic pieces (also called "stones")
- The Mancala board is made up of two rows of six pockets (also called "holes," or "pits") each.
- Four pieces are placed in each of the 12 pockets. The color of the pieces is irrelevant.
- Each player has a "store" (also called a "Mancala") on his/her right side of the Mancala board.
The object of the game is to collect the most pieces by the end of the game. Game Play:
- The game begins with one player picking up all the pieces in any of the pockets on his/her side.
- Moving counter-clockwise, the player deposits one of the stones in each pocket until the stones run out.
- If you run into your own Mancala (store), deposit one piece. If you run into your opponent's Mancala, skip it and continue moving to the next pocket.
- If you drop the last piece in your own Mancala, you take another turn.
- If the last piece you drop is in an empty pocket on your side, you capture that piece and any pieces in the pocket directly opposite.
- Always place all captured pieces in your Mancala (store).
- The game ends when all six pockets on one side of the Mancala board are empty.
- The player who still has pieces on his/her side of the board when the game ends captures all of those pieces.
- Count all the pieces in each Mancala. The winner is the player with the most pieces.
The game is console-based and is implemented in Java. It is played between a human player and a computer.
To run the game, clone the repository and run the following command in the root directory of the project:
javac MancalaGame.java
java MancalaGame+---------------------------------------------+
| Mancala Game |
+---------------------------------------------+
Enter your name to continue: Khuzaima
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 0 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 0 |
| | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 2
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 0 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 0 |
| | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 3
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| 1 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 0 |
| | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 3
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 1 |
| | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 5
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | |
| 1 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 1 |
| | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 1
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | |
| 1 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 1 |
| | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 4
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 2 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 1 |
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 5
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 7 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 2 |
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 2
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 3 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 2 |
| | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 9 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 2
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 3 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 2 |
| | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 9 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 4
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| 3 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 2 |
| | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 9 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 4
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |
| 3 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 3 |
| | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 3
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |
| 4 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 3 |
| | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 5
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |
| 4 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 4 |
| | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 1
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | |
| 4 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 6 |
| | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 1
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | |
| 7 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 6 |
| | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 6
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |
| 7 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 7 |
| | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 1
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |
| 8 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 7 |
| | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 2
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |
| 9 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 7 |
| | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 5
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |
| 9 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 8 |
| | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 4
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | |
| 9 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 13 |
| | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 1
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | |
| 10 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 13 |
| | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 4
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |
| 10 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 13 |
| | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 6
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |
| 10 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 14 |
| | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 3
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | |
| 10 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 15 |
| | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 6
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 11 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 15 |
| | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 2
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 11 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 16 |
| | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 5
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 11 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 17 |
| | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 3
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 20 |
| | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 3
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 20 |
| | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 2
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 20 |
| | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 1
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 20 |
| | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 4
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 14 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 21 |
| | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 4
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 14 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 21 |
| | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima! choose a pit [1-6]: 2
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 14 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 23 |
| | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Computer chooses pit 6
Press enter to continue...
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 |----+----+----+----+----+----| 23 |
| | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Khuzaima wins!