Welcome to PlayAwale.com! I invite you to (re)discover the ancient game of Oware through this online version.
Independent project
I work alone on PlayAwale, driven by passion, to keep improving it and keep it 100% ad‑free.
If you'd like to give a small boost, a donation of 3 € helps keep the project alive.
Support the project One‑time support – no commitment
PlayAwale.com is a digital adaptation of the legendary African game Oware, an ancient strategy game that tests your thinking, your observation skills and your ability to anticipate.
The game known as Oware is played throughout West Africa and beyond, and has different names depending on the region and traditions: Oware in Ghana, Ayo in Nigeria, Wari in Haiti or Benin, Awari in the Caribbean, and many others. It belongs to the large family of so‑called Mancala games, a generic term of Arabic origin meaning “to move”, which groups many traditional variants around the world.
The rules can vary slightly from one country to another (number of seeds, capture conditions, end of game…). On PlayAwale.com, I modestly relied on the Ivorian rules, which I find particularly clear and balanced. This choice simply aims to offer a coherent and accessible base, while trying to respect the spirit of the game as it is traditionally played.
Dive into a Player vs virtual opponent mode, carefully designed to offer multiple difficulty levels. The goal: to offer a progressive experience, accessible to beginners as well as to those who want a bit more thinking.
Note: these opponents don’t all play the same way. Some styles may feel easier (or harder) than a “previous” level — it depends on your level, habits and strategies. Starting from Ancestral Spirit, the levels begin to include more predictions and anticipation, making it harder to judge difficulty “on paper”.
To discover all 8 sages, their avatars, their play styles, and quickly choose the right opponent for your level, open the dedicated guide.
🤝 2‑player modes
PlayAwale.com also offers 2‑player games to play together, in two simple ways:
👨👩👧👦 A game for all ages… and all places!
Whether you’re a curious toddler, an adult who loves challenges, or a senior attached to tradition, PlayAwale.com invites you to rediscover Oware: a game that is simple to learn, strategic, universal and formidable to master.
Oware can be played anywhere: online on the internet, in the sand with small holes, on an egg carton with shells or pebbles, or even on a carved wooden board. All you need is seeds and imagination to create a game, anywhere in the world.
An ancient, intergenerational… and timeless game. 🌍
Sow, harvest, capture... and become a master of Oware! 🌱♟️
💡 Play now on PlayAwale.com and face a virtual opponent, improving with each game! 🚀
💛 PlayAwale is an independent project developed out of passion.
A support of 3 € helps keep it alive. Thank you 🙂
Name: Nicolas Lion
Email: contact@nlion.fr
Phone: 06 95 38 15 89Website: www.nlion.fr
Host: O2switch
SIRET: 510 909 807 00032
Address: Chemin des Pardiaux, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand
Phone: 04 44 44 60 40
Website: www.o2switch.fr
All elements of the site (texts, images, videos, music, source code, etc.) are protected by French and international intellectual property laws. Any reproduction, representation, modification or adaptation, in whole or in part, without prior written authorization, is strictly prohibited.
This site does not collect personal data for commercial purposes. No personal information is sold or shared with third parties.
This site does not use any third‑party statistics service (such as Google Analytics). All traffic data is processed using an in‑house application, without resorting to external tools. No information is transmitted to external services or platforms.
To ensure the proper operation of the online Oware game, cookies are stored on your device. These cookies are strictly necessary and allow saving your results (games won, lost) as well as your game history. Without these cookies, it would not be possible to retrieve your results during future visits.
In order to improve the game, some played games may also be saved anonymously (without information that can identify you), with the goal of being used in the future to create and strengthen difficulty levels.
We collect, in a fully anonymous way, some information such as your country of origin and your results. This data is only used to establish a ranking of players by country. It does not allow identifying you personally and is never sold nor used for commercial purposes.
Development: Nicolas Lion (nlion.fr)
Contributions:
Last updated: 22/03/2026
UPDATE = website update
News and updates from PlayAwale.com.
📱 September 7, 2026 — The PlayAwale Android beta is openNEW
After a year on hold, the PlayAwale Android app is ready for a private Google Play test. It brings the website experience to a version designed to play anywhere, free of charge, with no ads and fully offline.
Enjoy several AI levels, two-player mode on the same screen, replays, and JSON and PDF game exports. The game works in both portrait and landscape on phones and tablets.
To take part, send the email address linked to your Google Play account, keep the app installed for 14 days, and play from time to time. Feedback is very welcome.
🛡️ August 20, 2026 — Securing PlayAwaleUPDATE
I've had enough of bots repeatedly trying to scrape the game database. The first line of defence was no longer enough, so I've reinforced things at the source.
id=2200, id=2201…) have been replaced with unpredictable encrypted tokens (id=g4k7m2xq).Bottom line: no impact for players — your old links still work and the Top 1 remains accessible — but scrapers can come back another day.
To the data thieves: if you want the data, just ask nicely instead of hammering the server. Your games remain available at playawale.com.
📚 May 11, 2026 — Support PlayAwale with HexasudokuNEW
Beyond donations, here's another way to support PlayAwale: if you enjoy logic puzzles, I've published a 16×16 Sudoku book on Amazon: Hexasudoku — 100 Grids, Pure Logic.
Born from a game engine written in 2008 as an algorithmic challenge, revisited in 2026, this book features 100 16×16 grids solved purely by logic — every empty cell follows a specific technique: Naked Single, Naked Triple, Swordfish, Skyscraper… Hints and detailed techniques included. 10 easy grids to ease into the format, then the difficulty ramps up.
🔁 April 19, 2026 — JSON export reactivatedUPDATE
The per-game JSON export has been reactivated and is available again from the replay page.
If you need bulk access for research or training, please contact me instead of scraping — I can provide a suitable data-access solution.
April 9, 2026 — Bug fix: AI was starving opponent after captureUPDATE
While reviewing games #3077 and #3078 at the Seeds Guardian level, I discovered that the AI could starve the opponent after a chain capture — which is forbidden by the rules of Awale.
The issue was in the move simulator used by the anti-starvation filter: it did not correctly walk back through the chain of captures, so it believed the opponent still had seeds when in fact they would all be captured.
The bug also affected the Novice Sower level. It is now fixed for both levels. Higher levels (Expert and above) were not affected as they use a separate simulation engine.
While reviewing game #3270, a second bug was found — this time on the human player's side: when a chain capture took all seeds from the AI's camp, the capture was not cancelled. The player would then win the game instead of losing. The anti-starvation rule is now enforced in both directions: if any move (player or AI) would empty the opponent's entire camp, the capture is cancelled and the seeds remain in place.
🏆 April 9, 2026 — Country ranking overhaulUPDATE
The country ranking system has been completely redesigned to be fairer and more dynamic.
Time decay (60 days) — Recent games now count much more than older ones. A win today is worth 2× more than a win from 2 months ago, and 8× more than one from 6 months ago. A country that stops playing will naturally see its ranking decline.
Exponential difficulty weights — Winning at higher levels earns far more points: Novice Sower (×1), Seeds Guardian (×3), Ancestral Spirit (×6), levels 6-7 (×10), Probabilistic Strategist (×15).
Risk multiplier — Countries that dare to play at higher levels are rewarded. Winning only on easy mode is no longer enough to be first.
🛡️ April 7, 2026 — Playawale: the end of uncontrolled Open DataUPDATE
I detected a massive scraping wave on my JSON file generators. Around 600 games were collected by bots.
That is not dramatic in itself, but the method is not fair. Public JSON export has therefore been disabled for now.
If someone is working on a Deep Learning AI and needs datasets for training, honest collaboration is far better than data plundering.
March 24, 2026 — Master Awale evolvesUPDATE
The Master Awale algorithm has been updated after its defeat. It is back better prepared, sharper, and even more demanding.
Will you be the next one to defeat it?
🗝️ March 22 — Sage KeyUPDATE
Activate your Sage Key on PlayAwale to save your avatar, victories, and replays, with no account, no email, and 100% anonymity. It is simply a secret code between you and the game.
✨ Highlight
On March 21, Mr. Sotoca, representing the French Awale team, defeated Master Awale and won a wooden game set for his association Jeux Nomades France.
The French team will also take part in the World Nomad Games. Feel free to support them.
This event showcases a wide range of disciplines, from traditional strategy games such as Awale and Toghyz Qumalaq to equestrian sports and strength contests rooted in nomadic cultures.
Association: jeuxnomadesfrance.jimdofree.com
Replay: watch the game
Learn more: World Nomad Games 2026.
From August 31 to September 6.
🏆 Featured
Club Awale is launching a contest: if you manage to defeat Master Awale, you win a VIP game of your choice from their shop. Offer valid for the first winner.
Shop: www.clubawale.com/shop
Instagram: view the post
Website: www.clubawale.com
📘 March 15 — Levels & AI GuideUPDATE
Read the level guide to discover the 8 Sages, their playing styles, and tips for choosing the right opponent.
More news will be added here as new features are released.
Thank you for being here. PlayAwale is an independent project I build with care, on my own time, with the goal of offering a free, ad-free game that feels pleasant to use and genuinely helpful for learning to play better.
If PlayAwale has already given you a good moment, taught you something, or simply made you want to come back, you can choose to support it with a donation. There is no obligation and no pressure here: it is simply a free way to help a project you find useful continue to exist and improve.
What does a donation support?
In very practical terms, a donation helps me keep improving PlayAwale in good conditions, without intrusive advertising and without unnecessary compromises.
Even a small amount can matter. The idea is not to give a lot, but to contribute in your own way to a project you would like to see last, improve, and remain independent.
If you are unsure, simply keep this in mind: a donation here is not about “consuming more”, but about encouraging patient, useful work done with care.
Support PlayAwale with a donation
🌍 Simple, international, and secure:
Pay via credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
All currencies accepted. No Revolut account required.
Who am I?
My name is Nicolas Lion. I have been working on PlayAwale since early 2025, with an artisanal approach: taking the time to do things properly, improving step by step, listening to useful feedback, and trying to build something that lasts.
Behind this site, there is no large company, just one person moving forward steadily over time. If that way of working speaks to you, supporting the project with a donation is a meaningful way to encourage it.
Would you rather not donate?
That is perfectly fine. You can still help PlayAwale in other ways.
📚 Into logic puzzles? I've published a 16×16 Sudoku book on Amazon: Hexasudoku — 100 Grids, Pure Logic. 100 grids solved by reasoning alone, with a precise hint and exact technique provided whenever you get stuck.
If you would like to help PlayAwale continue its journey, thank you.