Most Baghchal tips are written for goats. Tigers get less attention. Yet the tiger player has a real job: to make the goat player slip.
This guide gives tigers five ideas. Each one is easy to try in your next game. We checked the positions with a computer that follows the rules.
If you do not know the rules yet, start with the complete guide.
Can tigers win?
Yes, but the goats have the upper hand when both sides play perfectly. In a 2004 computer study, researchers found that the tigers can force the capture of up to three goats. They also found evidence that the goats can always avoid losing. A later study, in 2009, showed that the full game is a draw with perfect play. We explain it in our post on whether Baghchal is solved.
Real players are not perfect. So a tiger wins by making the goat player slip. The ideas below show how.
Idea 1: be where the moves are
A tiger can only use the lines of the board. The more lines a point has, the more choices a tiger has there. Here is how many neighbors each point has.
A tiger in the middle can have up to 8 neighbors. A tiger in a corner has only 3. More neighbors means more places to step and more goats to attack.
Idea 2: leave the corners early
A corner is the easiest place to trap a tiger. Six goats can lock it in.
You do not need to run from the corners on move one. But do not leave a tiger there for long.
Idea 3: make two threats at once
This is the most useful idea for a tiger. If your move attacks two goats, the goat player can protect only one. You then capture the other.
Here is an example from the early game. The tiger on e4 steps to e3. From e3 it can jump the goat on d2 (landing on c1) and the goat on d4 (landing on c5).
We tested this by computer. After the tiger steps to e3, every goat placement still leaves a capture.
Here is a second example. The tiger on c4 steps to c3. It attacks the goat on b4 (landing on a5) and the goat on d3 (landing on e3).
How to find double threats. Look at each goat that has an empty point behind it. Ask which point a tiger would need to stand on to jump it. If one point works for two goats, move there.
Idea 4: be patient in phase 1
In phase 1, the goat player must place a goat on every turn. As the board fills up, safe points get fewer. A goat placed in a hurry can leave a hole.
You do not need to attack every turn. Keep your tigers on points with many neighbors, and wait until a goat leaves something behind.
Idea 5: wait for holes in phase 2
In phase 2, the goats must move. Every goat move can open a hole behind another goat. If you keep your tigers near the goat line, a hole is a capture.
Keep count
You need five captures. After each capture, count again. Say to yourself: "I need three more." Count how many goats the goat player still has to place. Goats get easier to catch when they run out of free placements.
Common tiger mistakes
- Leaving a tiger in a corner for a long time.
- Chasing one goat while ignoring the rest of the board.
- Moving a tiger to a point where goats can block it.
- Forgetting that a capture is optional. Sometimes not capturing is better.
For more, read 5 Baghchal mistakes beginners make. Then test yourself with our Baghchal puzzles.
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
Can tigers win in Baghchal?
Yes. With perfect play the game is a draw, but real players make mistakes, and tigers win when the goat player slips.
Where should tigers stand?
Mostly on points with many neighbors, such as the middle of the board. Avoid staying in a corner.
What is a double threat?
A move that attacks two goats at once. The goat player can protect only one, so the tiger captures the other.
Do tigers have to capture?
In the usual rules, no. A capture is optional.
How many goats can tigers force the capture of?
A 2004 computer study found that tigers can force the capture of up to three goats. Five are needed to win.