Making African bean game (Bao game) yourself
That we like to play, most know here already. I remembered the "bean game" (Bao game) that I once played in Kenya and we copied it very easily.
You need:
32 coasters or similar (Alternatively you can take a piece of wallpaper and paint on the back a total of 32 circles / boxes)
64 old buttons, 1 cent pieces or coffee beans.
The coasters should be placed in 4 rows of 8 lids, so that each of the two players has 2 rows of 8 coasters in front of him. Now come on each coaster (alternatively in each box on the wallpaper) 2 buttons / coffee beans. The game preparation is now complete.
Now the one who starts, takes down all the buttons (initially the two) from the beer mat and always distributes one to the adjacent beer mat. If you hit the last button on a beer mat with buttons on it, you take all these buttons and distribute them further. If you hit the last button on an empty beer mat, this turn is over for you and it's your opponent's turn.
If the button falls on a full coaster (at least 1 button on it) of the inner row, the player may take the buttons of the co-player's directly opposite coasters and place them next to his. Now he takes all the buttons (his and the plundered ones) and continues, as usual. The turn is over as soon as the last button on a free coaster falls.
Attention: A single button on a beer mat must not be moved. So, the player may not use it to open a turn.
The player who either only has single buttons on the beer mats or one who has no buttons in the inner row has lost. How many buttons a player has is not important.
I hope that's not too complicated. It comes to play once or twice. Of course you can take alternatives to buttons and if you do not have 32 coasters, then just the piece of wallpaper with 32 boxes, arranged so that each of the two players has just 2 rows of 8 boxes in front of him. If you play more often ... maybe it will be worthwhile to make a piece of wood with 32 recesses. Then of course it's a bit more pleasant to grab the buttons. Have fun playing.
