Mancala tournaments
From Wikinfo
Mancala can be played in a competitive manner. Every year hundreds of tournaments are organized throughout the world.
Most mancala games are mindsports not unlike Chess, Shogi, Xiang Qi, Go, Renju or Draughts. The most important mancala mindsports are Oware, Toguz Kumalak, Omweso, and Bao la Kiswahili. However, mancala can be combined with physical contest (Condi Mancala and Mancala Boxing) or it can be used to challenge one's reflexes and nimbleness as in Seethaipandi.
| Game | Tournaments | Leading Players | Notes |
| Oware | Andorra (Andorra-la-Vella, Sant Julià de Lòria); Antigua & Barbuda (Johnson's Point, St. John's); Argentina (Buenos Aires), Austria (Vienna); Barbados (Speightstown); Belgium (Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels); Burkina Faso (?); Canada (London ON, Montreal QC); Cuba (Santiago de Cuba); Czech Republic (Pardubice, Prague); France (Amplepuis, Cannes, Castres (Midi-Pyrénées), Champsanglard (Limousin), Clamart, Douai / Dowaai, Evry (Essonne), Foix, Fontvenelle (Gardanne), Garges-lès-Gonesse, Grenoble, Hendaye / Hendaia, Herblay, Ivry-sur-Seine, Jouy-en-Josas, Lavelanet, Le Bourg (Midi Pyrénées), Le Pradet, Lille / Ryssel, Lognes, Marseille, Mauguio, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, Noisiel, Paris, Portiragnes, Prat-Bonrepaux (Bas Couserans), Prélenfrey-du-Gua (Le Gua), Puteaux, Rennes, Roquefort-les-Pins, Roubaix, Sathonay-Camp (Rhône), Strasbourg / Straßburg, Tarascon sur Ariège, Tarbes (Midi-Pyrénées), Toulouse, Valady, Valbonne, Villenave d'Ornon, Wasquehal, Yzeure); Germany (Berlin, Halle, Niederzissen, Ortenberg); Ghana (Accra, Brenu, Kumasi); Ireland (Dublin); Italy (Bari, Caldé (Lago Maggiore), Milano, Modena, Pisa); Ivory Coast (Abidjan, Kpouébo); Netherlands (Almere, Amsterdam); Nigeria (Ibadan, Ilesha, Lagos, Osogbo); Norway (Vennesla (near Kristiansand)); Slovenia (Ljubljana / Laibach); Spain (Argentona, Barcelona, Malgrat de Mar, Santa Susanna); Switzerland (Älen, Engelberg, La-Tour-de-Peiltz, Vevey / Vivis); Togo (?); UK (Bristol, Cambridge, Grays, London, Manchester, Plymouth, Woodford Green); USA (Cincinnati OH, DeFuniak Springs FL, New York NY); US Virgin Islands (Saint Croix) | Ibrahim Abubakar ("Oware Killer"), Kwaku Solomon, Trevor Simon, September Christian, Pumpkin Lewis | The most popular mancala game; International Oware Society (founded in 1995) based in London (UK). |
| Ouri | Portugal (Atouguia da Baleia, Aveiro, Batalha, Benedita, Braga, Covilhã, Évora, Leiria, Lisbon, Pinhão (Alijó), Seixal) | Mariana Matos Pinto, João Maria Menezes, Fábio André Araújo | Local and national tournaments for children, the largest with over 1,200 participants. |
| Songo Ewondo | Cameroon (Douala, Oyop, Yaounde); Gabon (Franceville, Libreville, Oyem, Port-Gentil); France (Lille/Rijsel) | Vivi Metou, Lévy Megne-Masseko, Meba Mefame, Narcisse Nguema | Masters are called "Nti"; more than 50 tournaments each year; promoted by the Gabonese Culture & Arts Ministry. |
| Kiothi | Kenya (Meru) | (?) | Last report in 1972; the current status of the Kiothi Club in Meru is unknown. |
| Selus Gebeta | Ethiopia (Addis Ababa) | (?) | Discipline of the traditional sports competition organized by the Addis Ababa Traditional Sports Federation every two years. |
| Imbelece | Germany (Niederzissen) | David Fischbach | First school tournament in 2008. |
| Bao, including Bawo | Italy (Modena, Senigallia, Turin); Malawi (Mzuzu City); Kenya (Lamu); Tanzania (Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar (Mikunguni, Mnazi Mmoja)); UK (Cambridge) | Abdulrahim Muhiddin Foum, Masaoud Hassan Ali ("Kijoumbe"), Ali Maulid Hussein ("Maulidi") | 16 member clubs of the Chama cha Bao ("Bao Society") on Zanzibar; discipline of the Mindsports Olympiad (MSO) in 2002; masters are called Fundi (about 10 on Zanzibar). |
| Omweso | Uganda (Kampala); UK (Cambridge, London) | Hudson Kyagaba, Mwodha Fredrick, Twaha Tinkamanyire | Discipline of the Mindsports Olympiad (MSO) in 2000-2003; National Game of Uganda; International Omweso Society in London (UK). |
| Igisoro | Canada (Montreal), Rwanda (Kigali) | (?) | Promoted by the Ministère de la Jeunesse et des Sports in Rwanda (since 1983) and Gilbert Rwirangira in Canada. |
| Kiela | Angola (Luanda) | (?) | Promoted by Bernardo Campos with the support of the Angolan government. First tournament in 1999. |
| Hus | Namibia (Windhuk) | (?) | Organized since 2002 by the Pan African Centre of Namibia (PACON) with the support of the former Namibian President Sam Nujoma. |
| Moruba | South Africa (Bolobedu, Johannesburg, Mdantsane, Oudsthoorn, Polokwane, Sasekani, Tzaneen) | Lawrence Kashane; Solly Mabunda; Whisky Malatji; Job Malesa; Marcus Senyolo; D. Shikwambam; Gilbert Shingange; Petrus Shibambu | Promoted by the South African Sports Commission (SASC) since 2003. |
| Hawalis | Germany (Niederzissen); Oman (Masqat) | Dad Mohd | Clubs in Ruwa, Mutrah, and Seeb; a school tournament in Germany in 2008. |
| Toguz Kumalak | China (near Urumchi); Czech Republic (Pardubice, Prague); Kazakhstan (Aktau, Aktobe, Almaty, Arys, Astana, Karaganda, Karkaralinsk, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Oskemen, Pavlodar, Shymkent, Stepnogorsk, Taldykorgan, Taraz, Uralsk); Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek, Cholpan-Ata, Issik-kul); Macedonia (Ohrid); Mongolia (Bayan Ölgiy); Russia (Chelyabinsk, Cherkessk (Karachay-Cherkessia), Gorno-Altaysk (Altay)); Spain (Barcelona); Turkey (Istanbul); UK (London); Uzbekistan (Tashkent) | Serik Aktayev, H. Eleusinov, A. Nursejtov, Asel Dalieva, E. Kudaybergenova, Maksat Shotayev, Talgat Toktybayev | More than 30 Toguz Kumalak masters; over 20 national and international tournaments in Central Asia; discipline of the Mindsports Olympiad (MSO) 2006. |
| Chongka' | Guam (Mangilao) | (?) | Promoting Chamorro identity. |
| Congkak | France (Paris); Malaysia (Butterworth (Penang), Kangar (Perlis), Kuala Lipis (Pahang), Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Terengganu, Miri (Sarawak), Pekan (Pahang), Petaling Jaya, Putrajaya, Seremban); USA (Evanston IL) | (?) | Mostly children. |
| Sungka | Austria (Vienna); Australia (Penrith (Sydney) NSW); Philippines (Davao, Quezon City (Metro Manila), Sagay City); South Africa (Pretoria); Taiwan (Taipei); USA (San Francisco CA, San Pedro CA, Wailuku HI, Columbia MD, Dallas TX, Salt Lake City UT) | (?) | Promotes Filipino identity in migrant communities. |
| Pallanguzhi | India (Tiruchi) | (?) | Played by women only. |
| Seethaipandi | India (Chennai) | (?) | Interschool competitions in 2002 and 2003. |
| Kalah | Germany (Hamburg, Pfünz, Trier); Canada (Truro NS); Hungary (Sziget); Netherlands (Loenen aan de Vecht); USA (Kenai AL, Rogers AR, Peoria AZ, Anaheim CA, Bakersfield CA, Fresno CA, Hayward CA, Long Beach CA, Pleasanton CA, San Francisco CA, Vacaville CA, Denver CO, Coventry CT, New Haven CT, South Windsor CT, Watertown CT, Washington DC, Brandon FL, Miami FL, Port St. Joe FL, Wilton Manors FL, Ames IA, Champaign IL, Glenview IL, Lansing IL, Brownsburg IN, Cedar Lake IN, Richmond IN, Emporia KS, Manhattan KS, McPherson KS, Arlington MA, Bedford MA, Beverly MA, Fitchburg MA, Holbrook MA, Wareham MA, Aberdeen MD, Joppa MD, Westminster MD, Algonac MI, East Lansing MI, Saint Paul MN, Fort Leonard Wood MO, Peculiar MO, St. Louis MO, Missoula MT, Boiling Springs NC, Fort Bragg NC, Grand Island NE, Millville NJ, Seaside Heights NJ, New York NY, Pepper Pike OH, Gresham OR, Avella PA, Honesdale PA, Monroeville PA, Philadelphia PA, Phoenixville PA, Pittsburgh PA, Wexford PA, Greenville SC, Rockhill SC, Collierville TN, Cunningham TN, Memphis TN, Arlington TX, Austin TX, Dallas TX, Freeport TX, Lake Jackson TX, Richmond TX, Newport News VA, Federal Way WA, Milton WA, Puyallup WA, Spokane WA, Tacoma WA, Green Bay WI, Reedsville WI, Verona WI) | (?) | Mostly played by children. |
| Glass Bead Game | USA (Ann Arbor MI) | (?) | At the first U-Con Abstract Games Tournament (2001). |
| Diffusion | USA (Ann Arbor MI) | Amanda Rodeffer | Discipline of the 8th Annual U-Con Abstract Games Tournament (2008). |
| Pyramidis | USA (Ann Arbor,MI) | (?) | Discipline of the 6th Annual U-Con Abstract Games Tournament (2006). |
| ZigZag | USA (Ann Arbor MI) | Amanda Rodeffer, Larry Wheeler | Discipline of the 7th Annual U-Con Abstract Games Tournament (2007). |
| Exxit | France (Paris) | Axel Indygo, Yannick Nounouille | First World Championship in 2007. |
| Volcano | USA (Boston MA, Poughkeepsie NY, Columbus OH) | Joshua Drobina, Avri Klemer, Amy LoCurto | At Origins Convention (since 2001) and NonCon. |
| Game | Web Sites | Leading Players | Notes |
| Oware | AwaNet, Jijbent.nl, Kurnik, YourturnMyturn.com | (?) | Also called Mancala or Awale. |
| BohnDuell | Brettspielwelt | Philipp (?) ("racingphil"), Germany; Frank M. ("Puff"), Germany | First tournament in March 2003. |
| Diffusion | Super Duper Games | Scott Stubbs ("Lexicon"), USA | Winner of the Diffusion Subtournament (MSG Triathlon 2006). |
| Exxit | Boardspace.net | Yannick Nounouille, France | First tournament in 2007. |
| Kalah | BrainKing | Ljubisa Popovic, Serbia; Ottavio Vargiu, Italy | Also known as "Mancala" in the USA. |
| Game | Tournaments | Notes |
| Awari | Netherlands (Maastricht); UK (London); USA (Albuquerque NM, Portland OR) | Solved game; former discipline of the Computer Olympiad |
| Computer Sungka | UK (London) | At the Department of Computer Studies (Imperial College of Science) in 2004. |
| Computer Kalah | Germany (Bayreuth, Dresden, Hamburg, Oldenburg); Israel (Haifa); Sweden (Lund); Switzerland (Neuchâtel/Neuenburg); USA (Tuscaloosa AL, Irvine CA, Grand Rapids MI, Rolla MO) | Game solved for most instances (but not for 6;6) |
Images
 Toguz Kumalak Tournament in Astana (Kazakhstan), July 5, 2005 |
 Toguz Kumalak Students Tournament (Kazakhstan) |
 M. Kurmanbetov (left) against V. Babenko (right), July 7, 2005 |
Festival Middle Asia and Kazakhstan.jpg
Participants of the Toguz Kumalak Festival 2005 (Kazakhstan) |
 Aualé Tournament in Barcelona (Catalonia), June 3, 2007 |
 Aualé School Tournament in Malgrat de Mar (Catalonia), May 12, 2000 |
Ouri2.jpg
Ouri tournament in Covilhã (Portugal) March 13, 2009 |
 Participants of the Awale Tournament in Cannes (France), 2006 |
Julien ludovic oware.jpg
Tournoi International d'Awélé 2006 in La-Tour-de-Peilz (Switzerland) |
Antiguateam.jpg
Antiguan Warri Team, Mind Sports Olympiad 2000, London (England) |
Ibrahim in antigua.jpg
Ibrahim Abubakar, the "Oware Killer" from Ghana, International Warri Festival (Antigua), September 2002 |
Salva glenda.jpg
International Warri Festival (Antigua), September 2001 |
© Wikimanqala.
By: Ralf Gering
Under the CC by-sa 2.5 license.
