Bagha Chal (Tigers & Goats)

Bagha Chal - Nepal Game

The game of Bagha Chal is played on a special board of 5 x 5 points connected orthogonal to form a grid. There are also diagonal lines from corner to corner and diagonal lines connecting the midpoint on each side to the adjacent side’s midpoints.

Bagha Chal is a two-player game of uneven sides and is played with 4 pieces representing tigers and 20 pieces representing goats.

1- How to play

The game has two phases. In the first phase, the Tigers are put at corner of the board. Players take turns to plays and goats start first.Only tigers can move at the first phase. Once all goats have been placed to the board, the second phase started in which the goats can move too.

2- Move and Capture

All tigers and goats can only 1 step upward, downward or left, right.

The tiger can hop over adjacent goat into a vacant cell beyond along a straight cell. The latter move captures the hopped-over goat which is removed from the board. Goats can not hop or take tigers. Tigers cannot hop over other tigers.

3- Finishing

A game is won by the goats if they succeed in preventing all tigers from being able to move.

A game is won by the tigers if they capture (eat) all goats or preventing all goats from being able to move.