Ajua (Bao/Mancala) Size: 22*13.2*3cm, Open: 44*13.5*1.8cm

The board consists of two rows with eight holes (udi) and a larger store at each end. A player owns the store to his left.

Initially players put three seeds (ajua) in each hole to ensure that both have the required and equal number.

Initial Position

Then the players re-arrange the seeds in their row. Holes can become empty, but there must be at least one hole whose contents can reach an occupied hole on the opponent's side on the first lap, when sown clockwise.

On his turn, a player must distribute the contents of the leftmost hole of his row in a clockwise direction, which reaches an occupied hole of the opponent's side in the first lap. If this is not possible, a player may sow the contents of the leftmost hole, which ends in the first lap in an opponent's hole that is empty. If this is not possible either, he must sow the contents of the leftmost hole, which ends in an empty hole on his side.

When the last seed falls into an occupied hole, which hasn't been "married" (see below), its contents are picked up and distributed in another lap. Exception: After either player has captured, a sowing also ends in an opponent's hole, which contains a singleton.

If the last seed is dropped into an empty hole, an opponent's hole containing just one seed (after either player has captured) or a "married" hole, the move ends ("sleeps").

If the last seed finished in an empty hole on the player's own side and the opposite hole was occupied, the player captures ("eats") all the seeds in opponent's holes that correspond to empty holes on his own side. The captures are put into the player's store.

When the last seed falls into an opponent's hole containing just one seed, he "marries" the hole. The move stops and the hole is marked by him. Every stone dropped during a sowing into this hole, is owned by the player who married it.

Passing is not permitted.

The game ends as soon as a player has captured the majority of seeds (including those in holes he had married) or when a player has nothing to move at the start of his turn.

The game is won by the player who has got more than 24 seeds or whose opponent is unable to move at their turn.

Usually a match of five games is played (among the Luhya: six games or as many as would enable one player to win six times) and the games a player has won are counted with a dice kept in his store