One side has four pieces, the other has twenty, and they want completely different things. That lopsided setup is what makes this traditional game from Nepal so interesting. The tigers try to jump and remove goats. The goats try to surround the tigers until they cannot move at all.
You can play Bagh-Chal unblocked here as either side against a computer with three levels, or with a friend on the same screen. It is part of the free PaperGames set by Christopher Müller and keeps a clean, printed-board look.
How to play Bagh-Chal
The tigers start on the four corners. The goats start off the board, and on each goat turn one new goat is dropped on any open point. Tigers may move and attack from the very first turn, so the placing phase is the riskiest time for the goats.
After the last goat is placed, goats move just like tigers do: one step along a drawn line to an empty point next to them. Not every point has diagonal lines, so a piece can only go diagonally where the board shows one.
A tiger captures by hopping over an adjacent goat in a straight line to the empty point right behind it. Jumping is allowed but never forced. The tigers win at five captures. A player whose side has no legal move on its turn loses, which is how the goats win.
Controls
| To… | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place a goat | Arrow keys to reach a point, Enter to place | Click an empty point | Tap an empty point |
| Move or capture | Arrow keys and Enter to pick the piece, then the target point | Click your piece, then the point it should go to | Tap your piece, then the target point |
| Start a game against the computer | — | Click "vs Computer", choose goats or tigers and a level, then click "New game" | Tap "vs Computer", choose goats or tigers and a level, then tap "New game" |
| Take back a move | — | Click "Undo" | Tap "Undo" |
| Show which pieces can move | — | Turn on "Show move suggestions" in Settings | Turn on "Show move suggestions" in Settings |
Tips
- Goats: build from the walls inward. A goat on the border can't be jumped from outside, so edges and corners make safe anchors.
- Goats: close the gap behind. A goat beside a tiger is only at risk if the point on the far side is empty. Fill those points first.
- Goats: split the tigers up. Tigers that sit together cover each other's escape routes and are much harder to trap.
- Tigers: grab the middle. The center point connects in eight directions and gives a tiger the most chances to threaten two goats at once.
- Tigers: attack early. Your best chances come while goats are still being placed and the board has holes.
Bagh-Chal questions
Can I choose to play as the tigers?
Yes. Pick goats or tigers before starting a new game, and the computer plays the other side. You can also choose two players on one device.
Must a tiger capture when it can?
No. This version uses the optional capture rule, so a tiger is free to make a quiet step instead, even with a goat ready to be taken.
Is there a way to see which pieces can move?
Yes. Turn on the move hints and the game marks the pieces that have a legal move. Undo also lets you take back a move while you learn.
Does it save a game in progress?
Yes. An unfinished game is kept in your browser and comes back after a reload on the same device.
