Play Bao la Kiswahili Online in Kenya
The Swahili coast's game of masters: 64 kete, four rows, chain captures and the mighty nyumba. Free to play on Arena254.
- Game length: 15 min
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Entry: free play
- Time control: Zanzibar championship rules (de Voogt, 1995), with takasia
How to play Bao la Kiswahili
The Swahili coast's game of masters: 64 kete, four rows, chain captures and the mighty nyumba.
How to play
- Namua: add a seed from your hand each turn; capture if you can
- Captured seeds enter from an end pit (kichwa) and keep sowing
- Landing in an occupied pit facing seeds captures again
- Mtaji: hands empty, sow pits of 2+ from the board
- Empty the opponent's front row, or leave them without a move, to win
Rule set: Zanzibar championship rules (de Voogt, 1995), with takasia.
Bao la Kiswahili FAQ
How do I play Bao la Kiswahili on Arena254?
Create a free account, open Bao la Kiswahili from the Games page and challenge a player or accept an open challenge. The Swahili coast's game of masters: 64 kete, four rows, chain captures and the mighty nyumba.
Is Bao la Kiswahili free to play?
Bao la Kiswahili is free to play on Arena254 right now. Staked matches will open once our fair-play checks for it have been proven.
Is Bao la Kiswahili on Arena254 fair?
Every move is checked by our servers — the browser can't change the result — and matches are screened for cheating, including engine use, bots and collusion. Suspicious accounts are reviewed by a person and banned if they cheated.
How long does a game of Bao la Kiswahili take?
About 15 min. Time control: Zanzibar championship rules (de Voogt, 1995), with takasia.
What rules does Arena254 use for Bao la Kiswahili?
Zanzibar championship rules (de Voogt, 1995), with takasia. The full rules are on this page.