From the Board to Your Pocket
No luck, no dice, no random chance. Only your tactical skill determines victory or defeat against the clever AI or in local pass-and-play duels.
Malawi – The Tactical Classic Celebrates its 40th Anniversary
Exactly 40 years ago, the minimalist tactical board game Malawi captivated players worldwide and was honored with a spot on the official "Spiel des Jahres 1986" shortlist. To celebrate its milestone anniversary, this digital remake, based on the original board game by Gerhard E. Kodys (published in 1986 by Piatnik), brings back the pure strategic brilliance – fully optimized for modern screens.
Why play Malawi?
No Luck Involved
No dice dictate victory or defeat here. Only your mind, your planning, and your strategy count.
Quick to Learn
You'll understand the elegantly simple basic rules in two minutes, but the tactical depth will constantly challenge you anew.
Man vs. Machine
Train your tactics in solo mode against our clever AI or enjoy exciting duels locally on one device.
How to Play Malawi
Master the art of the Brilliant Bead System in 9 simple steps.
1. Welcome to Malawi
Malawi is a strategic board game where every move counts. Let's learn the basics!
2. Movement
A piece moves exactly as many squares as it has beads. Here, the piece has 2 beads and can move 2 squares.
3. Blocked Path
You cannot jump over other pieces. Even if the target is 2 squares away, you are blocked by the piece in between.
4. Capturing
Target an opponent's piece at the exact distance to capture it. Beads are reduced to zero, and all pieces remain in place.
5. Capture Fail
Jumping over or falling short of a target does not capture. Here, the piece has 2 beads and would overshoot the opponent at distance 1.
6. Splitting (Before)
This piece has 2 beads. Instead of moving, we can distribute them to our other pieces.
7. Splitting (After)
Beads distributed! The source is now empty, and our other pieces have each gained 1 bead.
8. Victory!
Reach your opponent's baseline and survive for one turn to win the game.
9. Baseline Threat
You reached the baseline, but the opponent can capture you immediately! The game continues.
A Fair Game. No Strings Attached.
🛡️ 100% Core Gameplay Free
The entire main game, featuring all official rules and full tactical depth, is permanently free to play (ad-supported).
🚫 No Pay-to-Win
No purchasable advantages, no artificial energy timers, no subscriptions. Pure skill is all that matters.
💎 Optional PRO Upgrade
A single, fair in-app purchase permanently removes all ads and unlocks exclusive premium features for advanced players, including the brand-new Board Editor and Analysis Mode.
PRO Upgrade: One-time purchase • No subscription • Ad-free forever
Try Malawi Online
No installation required. Experience the strategy directly in your browser.