How to play
- Each player owns the two rows nearest them — 16 pits. You start with 4 seeds in each pit of your outer row (32 seeds), and your inner row empty.
- Pick any of your pits with 2 or more seeds. Seeds are sown one per pit, anticlockwise around your 16 pits.
- If the last seed lands in an empty pit, your turn ends.
- If it lands in a pit that already had seeds: when that pit is in your inner row and BOTH of the opponent's pits in that column hold seeds, you capture them and sow them on from where your move began. Otherwise you pick up all the seeds there and keep sowing (a relay).
- A player who cannot move (no pit with 2+ seeds) loses.
Questions
What is Omweso?
Omweso is a four-row mancala game played across Uganda, especially in Buganda. It is known for long relay sowings and sharp tactics.
Are these the full tournament rules?
This version uses a fixed starting position and the core sowing, relay and capture rules. Advanced tournament rules such as reverse captures (Emiringo) are not included yet.