Most beginners lose their first Baghchal games in the same few ways. The good news is that each mistake is easy to fix once you can see it.
Below are five mistakes. Three are for goats and two are for tigers. Each one has a picture of the board and a simple fix. We checked every position with a computer, using the real rules, so the pictures are correct.
New to the game? Read the rules first. It takes five minutes.
Mistake 1 (goats): placing a goat with nothing behind it
This is the most common mistake. A goat is next to a tiger, and the point behind the goat is empty. The tiger jumps and the goat is gone.
The fix. Before every placement, ask two questions. Is a tiger next to this point? Is the point behind it empty? If both answers are yes, pick another point.
Mistake 2 (goats): moving the goat that holds up another goat
In phase 2, every goat move can open a hole. Beginners often move a goat without looking at what it was protecting.
The fix. Before you move a goat, look at the points it sits behind. If a tiger is in front of another goat, that goat may need this one to stay put.
Mistake 3 (goats): rushing to the middle
The middle of the board looks strong. But a goat in the middle can be jumped from many directions, so it needs a lot of help.
The fix. Build from the edges and corners, where goats are hard to capture. Move toward the middle only when you can keep every goat backed up.
Mistake 4 (tigers): staying in the corner
The corner is where tigers start. It is also the easiest place to trap a tiger. A corner point has only three neighbors. Six goats can seal it.
The fix. Get your tigers out early. A tiger in the middle can have up to 8 neighbors. That means more choices and more threats.
Mistake 5 (tigers): looking for only one capture
Beginners often move a tiger to attack one goat. The goat player then protects it, and nothing happens.
Stronger players look for a move that attacks two goats at once. The goat player can fix only one.
We checked this position by computer. After the tiger moves to e3, every possible goat placement still leaves a capture.
The fix. Before you move, count how many goats your new position attacks. Try to find moves that attack two.
A quick checklist
- Is the point behind my goat empty?
- Will this move open a hole behind another goat?
- Is my tiger in a corner?
- Can I attack two goats at once?
- How many goats are left to place?
Want more help? Read our guides on goat openings and tiger strategy.
Play Baghchal on your phone
Baghchal Online lets you practice or play for fun in four ways:
- Play real people online.
- Make a private room and send the code to a friend.
- Play 34 creatures that get harder as you win.
- Use Pass and Play to share one phone with a friend. No internet needed.
The app is on Google Play for Android. An iPhone version is coming soon.
Questions and answers
What is the most common beginner mistake in Baghchal?
Placing a goat next to a tiger with an empty point behind it. The tiger jumps and captures the goat at once.
Is it bad to lose a goat?
Not always. The goats can lose up to four goats and still win. But every goat lost makes the win harder.
Why are corners bad for tigers?
A corner point has only three neighbors. A small group of goats can block a tiger there.
How do I stop a double threat as the goat player?
Look one move ahead. If a tiger can step to a point where it attacks two goats, fix one of them now, or place a goat so that no such point exists.
How can I learn faster?
Play both sides. After each game, find the move where you lost your first goat and ask what you could have done one turn earlier.