The Structure of Mancala Clearing Sequences

SummaryThe Mancala game and clearing sequences can be a fun and effective way to encourage analytic thought. When using only the basic rules, the game is fairly easy to learn, even for small children, and thinking about clearing sequences is motivated by the desire to improve one’s skill and win more often. Clearing sequences describe a situation where a player can clear and capture all the seeds on one side of the board. This can be very useful since capturing more of those seeds than your opponent is the goal of the game. In this paper we look at key questions surrounding Mancala clearing sequences; How do you recognize a clearing sequence when you see one? How do different clearing sequences relate to each other? What’s your best playing strategy when you do see a clearing sequence?