Description

Also known as "The Cow Game".

This is an ancient game similar to Mancala, and it originated in Africa, in the area now known as the Sudan.

The board is similar to a Mancala board, and 5 stones are placed in each of the 10 playing wells. Players take turns moving stones by picking up all the stones in a well (except for one!) then dropping a stone in each well until they run out, moving either clockwise or counter-clockwise. You skip the scoring wells and must put a stone in the well you started in (in addition to leaving one there to begin the move). A well with only a single stone cannot be moved.

After your move, starting with the well you last placed a stone into, any wells that have exactly two or four stones may be placed in your scoring well. If there is a well that you cannot score (it has a number of stone other than 2 or 4), then any that come after it in sequence may not be scored either.

The game ends when neither player can make a legal move. Any stones left on a players side of the board are added to those in his scoring well. However has the most stones is the winner.

Um el Tuweisat is considered a children's version of this game