How to Play Oware (Abapa)

This video demonstrates how to play the Oware game according to the Abapa rule. Oware is the most popular of the mancala family of games. Other names include Awale, Wari, or Warri.
The oware board is usually made of carved wood; and the traditional seeds used in playing oware is that of the nickernut plant (Caesalpinia bonduc).
I welcome you to join the community of oware players on Facebook:
- / 716684239191984
You can enjoy playing on an app against computer or with someone online
Download OwarePa game app from Play Store:
play.google.com/store/apps/de...

[@julianaadebowale4071]

Thank you for this great teaching video. I'm new to this game and your video really helped in understanding the game.

[@yukoncornelius9547]

I never comment on UA-cam videos but had to come and say this is a great video, not too slow or too fast and I love how you guys actually play the game while teaching👍

[@takofi9202]

Thank you so much

[@davidlowe7217]

Thank you brother. Greetings from Barbados! One interesting twist here is that there is a penalty for not feeding an opponent. When it's your opponent's turn to play and they do not have any seeds remaining in their wells all seed remaining within your well becomes your opponent's!! Thank you so much for demonstrating how you play your version.

[@senaithaile7868]

Thank you so much for the video. Finally l found someone who can explains how how to play this wonderful traditional game of Africa .l really appreciate it.

[@multiples9520]

That is the best video on how to learn playin Oware, Thank you very much for sharing❤😊

[@TommyGK]

This was such a very simple explanation and now I understand. Thank you for teaching this game. It looks like a lot of fun and now I want a board for myself!

[@takofi9202]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@juramiful]

Hello there! Kudos on delivering such a clear and concise explanation of the game rules-excellent teaching skills on display! 😊 In Cabo Verde, where the game is known as uril, the rules align closely with the ones you presented, with one minor distinction. Specifically, in the final scenario, players are permitted to capture all seeds in their opponent's territory, provided they could not pass seeds if they were to go next. This nuance leads to strategic shifts; for instance, one can strategically place seventeen seeds in the rightmost house, redistributing them and capturing all seeds if the preceding house is empty.

[@argonwheatbelly637]

This is a real thing, not the 1940s American version of Mancala games. Oware is good. Omweso is good. Bao la Kiswahili is good. And so many, many others. Just not the 1940 version, called "Mancala". Whoever goes first in that wins, and even with the pie-rule, it's a solved game.

[@hananokuni2580]

The Kazakh game _Toguz kumalak_ is similar to the "Kalah" invented by William Julius Champion, Jr. in the 1940s and popular in the US. However, _toguz kumalak_ has tournaments similar to what are held for games for Chess and other board games. Though, abapa-like games have been played in the US. "Warra" is a game that was played in the State of Louisiana until the 20th century and Cape Verdean immigrants brought their version of the game to New England.
In Caribbean Warri -- the oware played in Barbados and Antigua -- a "grand slam", which is a capture that removes all the seeds on one side, is allowed, but a second move has to be made to provide seeds to that side.

[@RadishTheFool]

Thank you very much from The Netherlands!

[@takofi9202]

Nice to hear that

[@thehumanfactors4977]

Simple, clear explanation. Pace was perfect. Thanks for sharing.

[@danylatoy]

This is an excellent video! In Barbados, we use seeds in our boards, and the strategies are so good! Thanks for this simple explanation that I can share with others.

[@takofi9202]

Good to know. Thanks too

[@James-sq7hr]

Great video, & fun game!
Very detailed, & easy to understand explanation of the rules.

[@Lermer07]

Clearest instructions I've found. Thanks

[@takofi9202]

Glad it helped

[@pudimlaranja4118]

your explanation was clean and easy to understand thanks

[@eduardalexandrubruchner1531]

Thank you so much for this! I've just bought a game and i cant wait to play. Thank you from London!

[@takofi9202]

You are welcome

[@c.l.363]

Great instructions! 😃👍🏼👌🏼✨ I ll look forward to purchase one of these. Thank you 😊

[@takofi9202]

Have fun!

[@siggyuke]

Thank you for this video.
A good explanation of the game for this beginner.

[@takofi9202]

Have fun!

[@pancholopezpaz]

thank you for this video, well explained, very clear

[@Beccy_ZZZ]

I got this game as a gift today and I didn’t know how to play.. Thank you for explaining this game!
Thank you from Canada ❤️

[@takofi9202]

Glad I could help!

[@sethduodubrako]

Wonderful! Very educative and informative.

[@takofi9202]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@c.l.363]

Thank you for showing how this works. I will try to order one of these games to purchase. Thank you and blessings ✨👍🏼

[@takofi9202]

Have fun!

[@whatiknowis]

Thanks a lot from Germany!

[@takofi9202]

You are welcome!

[@ariyogbenga6580]

Good job

[@OgbonokoGrace]

I wish I was playing the game,I would have won everyone

[@fe3613]

Does anyone know what a good rough diameter and depth of the pits would be, in order to make it easy to grab the seeds and play quickly? I see skilled Oware players doing this, but the boards available to buy (or instructions for making them) always have small pits.

[@higgledypiggledycubledy8899]

Thanks for this nice concise tutorial. What do you recommend for beginners regarding grand slams? No capture, skip first house, skip last one?... I'm interested in which feels more fair, and also separately in which keeps the game going more.

[@takofi9202]

I think the move to make at that time will depend on the state of the game and your line of strategy. So you can play any one of the following moves: (1) play a move and wouldn't be able to capture any seeds or, (2) make a different move (if another move is available)

[@kleo7419]

Thank you!

[@rchsn3021]

Thanks ☀️ brother

[@takofi9202]

Welcome

[@tychoclavius4818]

That bit at the end there, doesn't that mean the game can drag on a while without any interesting moves? Is that supposed to happen or are we playing it wrong?

[@BrianKotoka]

Thanks 🙏🏿

[@takofi9202]

You're welcome

[@ObedDuodu]

Nice one there...

[@takofi9202]

Appreciated

[@TheOwareSociety]

Very good

[@takofi9202]

Thanks

[@sobhanrohamnazary3027]

Hi

[@julianbushe458]

I'm a bit confused about the captures. To my understanding you can capture the seeds from an opponent, when there are two or three seeds in an opponents house. Yet there are some turns, e.g. the one starting at 4:48 where there are 3 seeds, but the opponent does not capture them. Can they not be captured or is this just the players choice to not capture?
Thank you for the video!

[@tychoclavius4818]

You only capture the seeds in opponents houses, and only when you finish your turn in a house where there are then two or three seeds. Then if you do (and only if you do!), you look at the house before that and capture those seeds as well if there are two or three, and if you do, then look at the house before, etc. You only take seeds from your opponents houses this way, so you stop when you reach your own (of earlier if an opponents house doesn't have 2 or 3 seeds)

[@julianbushe458]

@@tychoclavius4818 Thank you! I missed the "turn ending in that house"-part.

[@isili5264]

Thanks a lot from Germany =). But what is the name of this seeds? Best wishes!

[@takofi9202]

The seed is that of the plant called Caesalpinia bonduc

[@Dylans503]

Hmm i think i like this more.

[@RAMA-vz3cv]

It's sungka in the🇵🇭😆

[@user-wi5xm7vm9r]

Difficult to understand

[@charlespaulosele6995]

This game is not in uganda 😮