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Hus
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- 40 min
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- BGG #10,084
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Bao
Rules assistance for Bao
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Bao
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bao is a board game for 2 players and 40 minutes per game. Its main mechanics are Mancala.
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About the game
Bao is an abstract strategy game from East Africa, especially Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania. It is generally reckoned to be the most complicated of the Mancala family games that are played in many parts of Africa. On a Bao board each player has two rows of 8 holes, into which counters (seeds) are placed. Moves are made by taking more than one seed and 'sowing' them along the row of holes. Depending on where the last seed is placed, you can take the seeds from that hole and continue the sowing, possibly capturing seeds from your opponent in the process. The aim of the game is to empty your opponent's front row of seeds or make it impossible for them to move.
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- (Public Domain)
- Mitra
- Woodstock Spiele
- Creative Crafthouse
- ROMBOL
- Oficina do Aprendiz
- Gerhards Spiel und Design
Questions and answers
Bao supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Bao is 40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
Bao has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Bao belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Mancala. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Bao as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.