Yote - West African Strategy
How to play: 5x6 board. Each player has 12 pieces. PHASE 1: place pieces one at a time on empty cells. PHASE 2: step orthogonally to an empty cell, OR jump over an enemy (orthogonally) to an empty cell beyond - capturing that enemy AND removing any one additional enemy piece of your choice. Win by capturing all enemies on the board.
About Yote
Yote is a traditional West African strategy game from Senegal, the Gambia, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Played for centuries on hand-dug pits in the sand or carved boards, Yote shares DNA with Checkers and Mancala but has its own brutal twist: every successful capture lets you ALSO remove an additional enemy piece from anywhere on the board. The result is a sharply tactical game where one good jump can turn the tide.
Our online version uses a 5×6 board with 12 pieces per player. Three AI levels and 2-player local mode included.
How to Play Yote
- Phase 1 — Placement: Players alternate placing one piece per turn on any empty cell. Each player has 12 pieces. Phase 1 ends when both players have placed all 12.
- Phase 2 — Movement: On each turn, you can move ONE of your pieces:
- Step: Move to an orthogonally adjacent empty cell.
- Jump: Hop over an adjacent enemy piece to the empty cell beyond, capturing the jumped piece.
- Bonus capture: Every successful jump capture lets you also remove ANY one additional enemy piece from anywhere on the board.
- Win: Capture all enemy pieces. If neither player can move, the player with more pieces wins.
Strategy Tips
- The bonus capture is everything. Every jump = 2 enemy pieces gone. Set up positions where multiple jumps are available.
- Choose the bonus removal wisely. Take the piece that threatens YOUR jumps next turn, or that protects key squares.
- Don’t crowd in placement. Pieces that can’t move become liabilities. Spread your placement.
- Pairs are dangerous. Two of your pieces in a line can be jumped from either end. Avoid lining up.
- Maintain mobility. A piece with no legal move is a wasted resource. Keep open space around your pieces.
- The center is vital. Center cells participate in more jump lines than edges.
A Brief History
Yote (also spelled Yoté) is part of the broader Mancala-Yoté family of African strategy games. It’s played from Mauritania through the Sahel and is a staple of village life in Senegal where games are played casually in marketplaces and tea houses. The game spread along trade routes and is closely related to Choko (also played in West Africa) and Wari (a Mancala variant). The bonus-capture rule is the defining Yote signature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I jump in any direction?
Only orthogonal directions (up, down, left, right) — no diagonals. The piece you jump must be directly adjacent to you, and the cell beyond must be empty.
Are jumps mandatory?
No. You can choose to step instead of jumping, even when a jump is available. (Some Yote rule variants make jumps mandatory; we use the more permissive version.)
What if I jump and have no extra piece to remove?
If the opponent has zero remaining pieces after your jump, the game ends — you’ve already won. If they have pieces, you must select one to remove.
Can the bonus removal target a piece I just jumped?
No — the jumped piece is already captured. The bonus targets a DIFFERENT enemy piece anywhere on the board.
What happens during the placement phase if a player runs out of empty squares?
The 5×6 board has 30 cells. With 24 total pieces placed (12 each), 6 cells stay empty. There’s always room.
How does the AI work?
In placement, the AI prefers cells next to your pieces (setting up future jumps). In movement, it heavily prioritizes jumps and picks the bonus removal that hurts you most strategically.
Can I play on mobile?
Yes. Tap a piece to select, tap a destination to move/jump, then tap an enemy piece to remove on bonus.
How long does a game take?
10–20 minutes. Phase 1 is fast (24 quick placements); phase 2 is where games are won and lost.