What’s not to like about this earthy but strangely elegant version of the ancient game of Mancala? First, you’ve got that big white satin ceramic log for a playing board. Formed from a solid 25 pound block of clay, then hollowed out at just the right firmness, it speaks of a magical secret woodland.
Add shiny glass playing stones which magnify the gold floral decals, and you’ve got the best metaphor any Packrat would be delighted to play.
Game Play
The Goal of the game is to collect the most playing stones in one’s Nest (home.)
Play exactly like regular common-in-the-US Mancala. (Or any other version you might know!)
Set up the board with four glass stones in each of the six holes on each side (24 on each side.) Players sit on either side of the log, and their Nest, where they collect the shiny stones, is the larger end hole to their right. Players take turns, with each player picking up all the stones from one of their holes and, moving to their right (counterclockwise) dropping one stone in each hole around the board, including their nest, but not their opponent’s, until they are all gone. If the last stone lands in an already-occupied hole, the play continues with the total contents of that hole being dropped further around the board. Play stops if the last stone is dropped in an empty hole. If the last stone lands in an empty hole on that player’s side across from an occupied hole of their opponent’s then they will capture all their opponent’s stones and put them and their capturing stone in their nest. Play ends when a player has no stones left to move from their side. All the stones at put into each player’s nest and are counted to see who had the most.