Wari

Sympkyn of the Moor

Game: Wari
Type: Traditional mancala game
Players: 2
Equipment: Mancala board with 2 rows of 6 pits, 48 seeds or stones (4 per pit)
Origin: West Africa, especially Ghana and Nigeria
Other Names: Oware, Awalé, Warri, Ayo, Ouril, Adi, Wali, Awele, Wale

Historical Background

Wari is one of the oldest and most widespread mancala-style games, with a heritage tracing back thousands of years across West Africa. It is particularly associated with the Akan people of Ghana and is considered the national game of several countries including Ghana, Nigeria, and Cape Verde (where it is called Ouril). Its spread via trade routes and the African diaspora led to variants being played in the Caribbean, South America, and parts of the Middle East. Wari’s enduring appeal comes from its blend of simple mechanics and deep strategy.

Traditional Rules

Setup:

  • The board has two rows of six pits (sometimes called “houses”).

  • Each pit begins with 4 seeds, for a total of 48.

  • Each player controls the 6 pits on their side of the board.

  • A scoring area or bowl is used to store captured seeds.

Objective:
Capture more seeds than your opponent—25 or more wins the game.

Gameplay

  1. Starting the Game:

    • Players decide who goes first (by lot or mutual agreement).

  2. Sowing:

    • On your turn, choose one of your 6 pits that contains seeds.

    • Pick up all seeds from that pit and sow them counter-clockwise, dropping one seed into each subsequent pit (skipping the original pit).

    • You may sow into both your own and your opponent’s pits.

  3. Capturing:

    • If the last seed you place lands in your opponent’s row and brings a pit to 2 or 3 seeds total, you capture those seeds.

    • If the immediately previous pit also ends with 2 or 3, it is also captured, and so on—until a pit does not meet the condition or is in your own row.

    • Captured seeds go to your score pile.

  4. Starving Rule:

    • You may not make a move that would leave your opponent with no seeds in any of their pits unless no other move is possible.

    • If no legal move prevents this, then the opponent takes all remaining seeds.

  5. End of the Game:

    • The game ends when:

      • A player has captured 25 or more seeds (and is declared the winner).

      • Both players have 24 seeds (a draw).

      • One player has no legal move (the other collects remaining seeds and totals are counted).

Optional Rules & Variants

Grand Slam Rule:

  • In some variants, if a player captures all 6 of the opponent’s pits in a single turn, the move is illegal to prevent starvation.

Children’s Variant:

  • Each pit starts with 2 or 3 seeds for a faster and simpler game.

Asymmetric Start:

  • In some traditions, players seed the board themselves, adding strategic variation.

Speed Play:

  • Moves are made rapidly, under a time limit, as in tournament play.

Board Shapes:

  • While most boards have 2×6 pits, other layouts exist in regional variants (e.g., 2×7, 2×8, or 4-row boards in Nigeria and the Sahel).

Strategy

  • Plan multiple moves ahead—timing is critical.

  • Avoid feeding your opponent’s empty pits if it gives them strong capture options.

  • Control the pace by forcing your opponent to make defensive moves.

  • Sacrifice seeds tactically to set up larger captures.

  • Counting seeds and anticipating sowing chains is key to high-level play.