Omweso (sometimes shortened to Mweso) is the traditional mancala game of the Ugandan people. The game was supposedly introduced by the Bachwezi people of the ancient Bunyoro-kitara empire of Uganda. Nowadays the game is played and enjoyed by people from various parts of Uganda. The equipment needed for the game is essentially the same as that of the Bao game (found in Tanzania and neighbouring countries). Omweso is strictly related to a wide family of mancalas found in eastern and southern Africa; these include Coro in the Lango region of Uganda, Aweet in Sudan, ǁHus in Namibia, Kombe in Lamu (Kenya), Mongale in Mombasa (Kenya), Mongola in Congo, Igisoro in Rwanda, and Kiela in Angola.

The name "Omweso" is derived from Swahili word michezo, which means "game".

Rules

Equipment

Omweso requires a board of 32 pits, arranged with eight pits lengthwise towards the players, and four pits deep. Each player's territory is the 16 pits on their side of the board.

Unlike the related Bao games of East Africa, Omweso boards have no special pits or distinguished houses.

Object

The normal way to win the game is to be the last player to be able to make a legal move, possible by capturing all an opponent's stones or reducing the opponent to no more than one seed in each pit. Alternatively, a player can win by capturing on both ends of the board in one turn.

Alternate victory conditions

The normal way to win the game is to be the last player left with a legal move. However, there are two additional victory conditions:

;Emitwe-ebiri: During the same move, a player can win by capturing opponent's seeds on both ends of the board.

;Akakyala: In some tournaments, a player may win by capturing in each of two separate moves, before the opponent has captured their first seed.

In addition, a special win called akawumbi occurs when a player captures seeds from each of an opponent's pits in one turn. In a tournament, this may be weighted several times a more mundane victory.

Never ending moves

thumb|right|A modern, European board with jaden pieces

It is possible for a move to lead to a never-ending sowing sequence. In tournament play, a player is allowed up to three minutes to finish his move - if this cannot be done, the game is annulled.

See also

  • List of mancala games
  • Igisoro
  • Kisolo
  • Bao

References

  • James S. Coleman, Play in Uganda: Omweso a Game People, UCLA African Studies Center, 1970
  • Article on Omweso rules and society in East Africa.
  • R.S. Shackell, Mweso – The Board Game, Uganda Journal II/1 July 1934
  • R.S. Shackell, More about Mweso, Uganda Journal III/2 October 1935