Placement - 2 Player Singles Only

Othello

(also known as Reversi)

Duration - 20 mins

From the opening position (above) black always goes first and must place a piece to make a line with a black at both ends and all whites in between.

All the white pieces in between are overturned to become black.

White then places a piece to do the same to black until an end game position.

Above - the end game has arrived (in this instance with all squares occupied) and black outnumbers white 35 to 29 so scores 6 points.

If a player cannot go (i.e. there is no possible line to make that satisfies the conditions) then the opponent goes again.

If a player can go then they must go.

If neither player can go then the game ends and the points are awarded.

It is possible to make lines in a maximum of 8 directions in one go.

MSO

Further Info - Wikipedia

Rules - www.centralconnector.com/GAMES/othello.html

Rubik's Magic

(Matchbox - 1987)

Duration - 10 mins

Played on a 4 by 4 grid. Each player has eight 2-sided panels of either diamonds or circles.

The idea is to make a matching line of 3 (as in 0's and X's).

You must flip one of your opponent's panels over before placing one of your own.

In this way the background colours of the panels change to make an exact match all the more difficult.

Example: Diamonds to go. He flips the bottom right circle over. He then plays a diamond into the gap (upper right).  There are no adjacent spaces for circles to flip any of the line of diamonds into so diamonds wins with 3 in a line.

In a Row Games

Gomoku

(5 in a row)

Duration - 10 mins

In turn players place a piece on an intersection to make a line of 5 vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

Further Info - Wikipedia

Remy Martin - 4 in a row

Duration - 10 mins

A quality version of 4 in a row.

Make a row of 4 balls of your own colour either vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

Connect 4

Duration - 10 mins

Drop your piece through the top slot to start or add to a column.

Rows of 4 can be achieved either horizontally (as above), vertically or diagonally.

Rules - www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/ConnectFour.pdf

Boku

Duration - 15 mins

5 in a row (horizontally or diagonally) with an additional rule. An existing line of 2 marbles only may be sandwiched by an opponent's played marble.  When this happens, either of the two trapped marbles is removed from the board and handed back to the player.  The vacated space cannot be immediately played to by the player who has had his marble removed.

MSO

Pentago

Duration - 10 mins

5 in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally). Played on a 6 by 6 grid made up of four 3 by 3 quarters. The twist here is that once a marble has been placed then the quarter grid iit is placed in must be turned by 90 degrees.  If this turn achieves 5 in a row then the game is won.

Hasami Shogi

Duration - approx 20 mins

5 in a row (vertically or diagonally, but NOT horizontally) Played on a 9 by 9 grid. Although not a game of placement (the pieces are set up at the start of the game), the aim is to make 5 in a row by moving the pieces.  Capture of opponent's pieces by sandwiching complete lines of them (vertically or horizontally) is another element. A piece may move in two ways. First - as the rook does in chess - any amount of unobstructed squares vertically or horizontally. Secondly - by jumping vertically or horizontally to a vacant space over an adjacent opponent piece.  If the opponent is reduced to four or less pieces then they lose.

Back to Top

Placement and Movement - 2 Player Singles Only

9 Men's Morris

(or Merels)

Boards after phase 1 placements.

Duration - 10 mins

• There are 3 phases First phase - placing - alternately place your 9 counters on the corners and intersections.  If during this phase, and any other phase, you line up 3 in a row (a mill) you remove an opponent's piece (for the duration of the game) that is not itself part of an opposing mill.
• Second phase - moving - after all pieces have been placed, in turn one piece can be moved to an adjacent vacant point. The intention is to make mills of your own and prevent your opponent making mills.
• Third phase - (if and when a player is down to 3 pieces), on each turn they may jump one piece to any vacant point. Only during this phase can you take one of their pieces from a mill. Once they are down to two pieces they have lost.

Another way of winning is by blocking your opponent so they have no vacant points to move to.

Further Info - Wikipedia

Stratego

(Parker - 1987)

Duration - 30 mins

40 blue pieces against 40 red pieces. There are 9 ranks of military men, a spy, a flag and 6 bombs.

•  Phase 1 - placing - strategically place all you pieces so that their value is hidden from your opponent. Place your pieces carefully, for when you attack you don't know the rank of your opponent's pieces and vice versa. You may be attacking a planted bomb!
• Phase 2 - movement and confrontation - When 2 opposing pieces occupy the same square their relative values decide which one is removed  e.g. a miner can diffuse a bomb.

The aim is to capture your opponent's flag whilst protecting your own.

MSO

Further Info - Wikipedia

Rules - www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/Stratego_(2002).pdf

Siam

Duration - approx 15 mins

Played on a board of 5 by 5 squares with a starting set up of 3 mountains on the central row.  5 white elephants take on 5 brown rhinos in a battle of strength. One piece at a time is introduced to a square on any of the 4 sides of the board.  A piece can be used to change its own direction, move to an adjacent empty square or push against pieces already on board.  Subject to pushing rules the winner is the player to push a mountain off the board whilst at the same time finishing nearer to ejected mountain than the opponent.

Back to Top

Placement - 2 Player s or More

Pegit

(Merit)

Format - 2 to 4 players

Duration - 10 mins

This is 5 in a row for up to 4 players.

Different tactics are employed as while you are blocking one player you may be aiding another.

Back to Top