Counter-clockwise game: 12th index pocket will always be your mancala or store. Blue is trying to minimise our score. Checkers Simulation - CSGNetwork Happy playing! If you don't have a Mancala board handy, substitute an empty egg carton. Some versions start with 3 or 5 stones in each cup. const nextState = updateBoard(board, move, player); // Get the next min/max score for the board created by this move. This is online chess calculator. Not all opponents go for the optimal moves. We further refined the opening strategy by proposing that, if Player2 plays I, J, K, or L, Player1 responds with a raid from A.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ultraboardgames_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ultraboardgames_com-medrectangle-3-0'); When, instead, Player2 plays the defensive G or HG, Player1 responds by playing E. This is in order to unload E before it accumulates too many more stones, and gives him yet another pit from which he can play to starve Player2. Well, anecdotally, it's scary good: I'm not too bad at the game, but it kicks my butt almost every time. If you always play from any hole that ends on your mancala, you will not only score lots of points and get extra moves, but you will also avoid having so many stones build up in a hole on your side that you have to play them onto your opponent's side. A tag already exists with the provided branch name. The Author: Pascal Pons {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/90\/Win-Mancala-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Win-Mancala-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/90\/Win-Mancala-Step-1.jpg\/aid5349776-v4-728px-Win-Mancala-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"