BaoTz - The free bao game

BaoTz is an Android game to play bao game of mancala family.

Update: BaoTz v2.2.4 is released. 

With this update, now BaoTz app supports D-Pad based input devices so you can play in Android TV using remote control or you can use keyboard to play this game on devices that support it.

It is also available on Playstore.

Get it from download link as APK in download section if you don't have Playstore or if it's wrongly flagged incompatible on your device Playstore. This app works in almost all Android devices. 

Bao (meaning board from Swahili) is the strategy board game played by two people. It is famous in East Africa countries and other nearby countries, and currently it's being played in many places around the world. This free simple game app will help you to practise and learn more about this game.

Bao game types:

This game app has three kinds for bao: Bao kubwa or bao kuu (also called Bao la Kiswahili), bao dogo and bao toto. Bao kubwa is the most famous type and more advanced in its strategic status. Bao dogo is just bao kubwa type with omitted "namua" phase.

Two win these two types is to clear all holes in opponent front row or to leave your opponent with no valid play.

You can read on Wikipedia, it has full article about Bao kubwa and bao dogo.

Bao toto in other hand is the straight version as it has minimal restriction. Therefore there is no house rule. Also reverse (edge) holes have no special functionalities.  You win bao toto if  front row of your opponent has no hole with 2 or more seeds. In this case, the front row is said to be unstable or unhealthy. 

Example, you lose if your front row looks like this:

(1) (0) (1) (1) (1) (0) (0) (0)

To start sowing, you only allowed to take all seeds from hole with two or more seeds (no matter from front row or back row, you can choose whatever) then you sow starting from any adjacent hole to establish sowing direction.

When you land in hole with seed(s) you can capture seeds from opponent facing hole if it has seeds and then you continue sowing the next hole by preserving the current direction. If you land in empty hole, then your turn is over.

You can read more help within app or read wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bao_(game)