Tigers and Goats (Bagh-Chal)
Ancient South Asian asymmetric strategy game: 4 tigers hunt 20 goats across a 5x5 grid while the goats strive to trap the tigers.
Game Overview & Setup
Played on a 5×5 grid with 25 intersections connected by orthogonal and diagonal lines.
- Goats (Seat 1): Start with 20 goats in reserve off the board. Goats play first.
- Tigers (Seat 2): Start with 4 tigers placed on the four corners of the board (
a5,e5,a1,e1).
Gameplay & Movement
1. Placement Phase: On their turn, the Goat player places one goat onto any vacant intersection. Tigers may move to an adjacent vacant point or jump over a goat to capture it. 2. Movement Phase: Once all 20 goats have been placed on the board, the Goat player moves one goat to an adjacent connected vacant point per turn. Goats cannot jump. 3. Tiger Capture: A tiger can capture an adjacent goat by jumping over it in a straight line into an empty intersection immediately beyond it. Only one goat may be captured per turn. Tigers cannot jump over other tigers.
Winning & Draws
- Tigers Win: If tigers successfully capture 5 goats.
- Goats Win: If the goats trap all 4 tigers so that no tiger has any legal move left.
- Draws: Threefold repetition of the exact position, or 50 moves without a capture.