Strategy Games

Exploring an empty terrain game - Line Making

Cross Step (from 101 Things For Kids To Do Outside)

A physical game played outside. Using chalk create a ten by ten grid (squares big enough to stand in). Each player gets their own color. You can take one step in any direction (except diagonally). After you step, cross out the square you just came from. When you have run out of spaces - you are out.

Nine Men's Morris (or Merrills; Mill; Merels)

A two player game on a board with twenty-four intersections or points arranged in a grid pattern.

Each player has nine pieces in their own color (usually black and white). Game has two phases:
Placement phase: players take turns placing their nine pieces in vacant points, attempting to form a "mill" of three of your own pieces occupying a straight line of adjacent points. If a player creates a mill during placement, they are allowed to remove one of their opponent's pieces from the board. However, they cannot remove an opponent's piece that is already part of a mill.
Movement phase: On each turn, a player can move one of their own pieces to any adjacent vacant point on the board. They can move along any line connecting the dots. The objective in this phase is to still form mills and capture your opponent's pieces. Whenever a player forms a mill during their move, they can remove one of their opponent's pieces, following the same rule as the placement phase (can't remove from an existing mill).
A player wins the game when their opponent is reduced to two or fewer pieces. At this point, the opponent can no longer form mills and is unable to make legal moves.

Connect Four

Online

Go-Bang go-bang-8x8 Grid 5 x 5, two sets of color stones or discs (usually black and white) - 20 to 25 per player. Decide who goes first. Each player places a piece on the board in turn. Once a piece is placed, it cannot be moved. It is ok to block your opponent from getting four in a row, even if it doesn't give you four yourself.

Dara ( from Nigeria) 12 tokens, in two colors. Dara Board Capture your opponents tokens so that they can no longer make three in a row. (In other words, until they have only 2 tokens left.) Decide who goes first. Players alternate placing tokens on the board. After all tokens placed on board - each takes a turn moving a token to try to get three in a row. Once a player has made three in a row, they can remove one of their opponent's tokens from the board. dara You may not have more that 3 tokens in a row. (So -- no 4 in a row, for example.) Even if you allow players to make 3 in a row during the drop phase, you may not remove your opponents token during the drop phase. You may not capture an opponents token when it is part of a 3 in row he made. Rows of three may only be orthogonally (intersect at a right angle), not diagonally. No diagonal moves are allowed.

Hunting and Capturing Games

Halatafl (or Fox and Geese)

One player controls a single piece called 'fox' or 'hunter.' The other player controls a larger number, usually 17. Pieces placed usually in a specific formation on the board (see image).
Players take turns moving one piece at a time. Pieces can move one step orthogonally (forward, backward, sideways) on the lines of the board. Important: They cannot move diagonally. Another key rule: Pieces cannot jump over other pieces (unlike checkers).
A capture can happen if a piece moves to a square adjacent to an enemy piece, and the square directly behind the enemy piece is vacant. In this case, the capturing piece can "jump" over the enemy piece and remove it from the board.
The fox wins by capturing enough geese to leave them with no legal moves. The number of geese that need to be captured to win can vary depending on the specific ruleset, often around 14 geese. The geese win by completely surrounding the fox on all four sides so that it has no legal moves. This is where the geese strategically use their numbers to their advantage.

Alquerque (or Alquerque Abonado)

5 x 5 grid board. Importantly, the lines that connect the squares indicate the permitted movement directions for the pieces. Two players, 12 pieces each, traditionally one color each (usually black and white).
Placement: Players take turns placing all 12 of their pieces one at a time on any of the empty squares on the board. There's no specific strategy or advantage in placement during this phase.
Movement: On each turn, a player can move one of their own pieces to a new location following these rules: Pieces can move one space in any direction (forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally) along the lines connecting the squares on the board. Important: Pieces cannot move over other pieces (yours or your opponent's).
Capturing: If a player's move allows them to jump over an adjacent opponent's piece and land on an empty square directly beyond it, they can capture the opponent's piece and remove it from the board. Crucially: Multiple captures are allowed in a single turn. If a jump move allows you to capture an opponent's piece and continue jumping over additional opponent's pieces following the same rule (opponent's piece - empty space - your piece), you must capture all the possible pieces in that chain in one move.
Winning: The game continues with players taking turns moving and capturing pieces. The winner is determined in one of two ways: Reducing opponent's pieces: The first player to capture all of their opponent's pieces wins the game. Immobilizing opponent: If a player is unable to move any of their pieces because all their legal moves would result in no captures, they lose the game. The opponent wins by forcing this situation.

Four Field Kono (or Nei-Pat-Ko-No)

Board 4 x 4 grid of intersecting (points where the lines meet). 8 pieces of one color to each player, usually black and white. Board starts empty. Each player places their 8 pieces on the two rows closest to them, filling all the points in those rows.
Move: Move one of your pieces to an adjacent empty intersection (up, down, left, or right). Diagonal moves are not allowed.
Capture: This is the key element of the game. To capture an opponent's piece, you must perform a special jumping move: Move your piece over one of your own pieces (not an opponent's piece) to an empty intersection directly beyond your own piece. If you land on that empty space and the opponent's piece you jumped over was in a straight line (horizontal or vertical) with your jumping piece and your landing space, then you capture the opponent's piece and remove it from the board.
Winning: The game continues with players taking turns moving and capturing pieces. The winner is determined in one of two ways:
1. Reduce opponent's pieces: The first player to capture all of their opponent's pieces wins the game.
2. Immobilize opponent: If a player is unable to move any of their pieces because all their legal moves would not result in a capture (they cannot jump over their own piece to capture an opponent's piece), they lose the game. The opponent wins by forcing this situation.

Halma

halma-2 halma-four

Board typically a 16x16 square board with a large 19-point star shape in the center that connects outwards along lines to the edge of the board. Each player has 19 pieces, traditionally one distinct color for each player (often red and blue, but any colors will work).
Pieces placed in the corners across from one another.
Movement: Pieces can move one space in any direction (forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally) along the lines connecting the points on the board. Jumping: Unlike checkers, pieces in Halma can jump over other pieces (yours or your opponent's). An empty point is required to move into.
Winning: The objective of the game is to be the first player to move all 19 of their pieces to their opponent's "home star" (the four points that form a square diagonally opposite the player's starting corner). online

Pachisi (or Parcheesi)

Board is usually cross shaped with four equal length arms of a different color. Each player has four men of a chosen color (usually red, yellow, green, black). 6 sided die is needed.
Setup: Each player places their four pawns in the designated starting squares at the corner closest to them on the board.
Decide who goes first. Role the die and based on the roll, the player can choose to move one of their pawns that is currently outside the central courtyard area (Chaupar). Pawns can only be moved forward along the path, following the squares on the board. A pawn can only enter the central courtyard area (Chaupar) if the roll results in a specific number (traditionally a 5 or a 6).
Capturing: If a player's pawn lands on a square occupied by an opponent's pawn, the opponent's pawn is captured and sent back to their starting area. The capturing pawn can then continue moving the remaining spaces allowed by the roll.
Once a pawn enters the central courtyard (Chaupar), it needs to move up the final stretch of squares that lead back to the player's starting area. This is called the "home track." The exact number rolled is required to move a pawn onto the final square in its home track. If the roll is higher than the number of spaces remaining, the pawn cannot move and the turn ends. Winning: The first player to successfully move all four of their pawns into the final square of their home track wins the game!

Backgammon (or Sheshbesh)

Learn to play

online

Battle Games

Checkers

Online

Chess black-and-white-1298024_960_720 Learn how to online. Other reading resources: A great resource for starting chess, is Speigel's guide here! Literature Review of Chess Studies

Seega

Board 5 x 5 grid squares/ 12 pieces each (usually contrasting colors like black and white)
Placement phase: Players take turns placing two of their pieces each on any of the empty squares on the board. No pieces can be placed in the center square (if your board has one) during this phase. The placement phase continues until all 24 pieces (12 for each player) are on the board, leaving one empty square (the center, if your board has one).
Movement Phase: The first move of the movement phase belongs to the player who did not place the last piece in the placement phase. On each turn, a player can move one of their own pieces to an empty adjacent square (horizontally or vertically). Diagonal moves are not allowed. The center square (if your board has one) becomes playable during the movement phase.
Capturing: If a player's move creates a "custodian" or "flanking capture," they can remove one of their opponent's pieces from the board. A custodian capture happens when your move traps an opponent's piece between two of your own pieces in a straight line (horizontal or vertical).
Winning: Player who captures all their opponent's pieces wins. More info

Fanorona

A Fanorona board: This is typically a rectangular board with 5 rows and 9 columns, creating 45 intersection points. Some boards may have diagonal lines drawn to visually guide movement. 22 pieces for each player traditionally small marbles or beads, usually two different colors.
Place your pieces on the two rows closest to you, filling all the points. The remaining four points in the middle row are filled by alternating your pieces with your opponent's, starting from the rightmost spot and leaving the center point empty.
Move: Move one of their pieces along a line to an adjacent vacant point. Think of it like moving along the lines that might be drawn on your board.
Capture by Approach: Move your piece to an adjacent empty point next to an opponent's piece. If your piece is in a straight line with the opponent's piece and any other opponent's pieces continuing in that same direction, all the pieces in that line can be captured (including the first one you moved next to) as long as there are no interruptions (your own pieces or blank spaces) in the line.
Capture by Withdrawal: This is the opposite of capture by approach. Move your piece away from an opponent's piece that's directly adjacent to it. If your piece creates a straight line with the opponent's piece and any other opponent's pieces continuing in the opposite direction, all the pieces in that line can be captured (including the first one you moved away from) as long as there are no interruptions in the line.
Winning: The first player to capture all of their opponent's pieces wins the game! If at any point during the game, a player cannot move or capture because all their available moves would result in no captures, the game ends in a draw. Print and Play here

Capture Territories

Boxes boxes-example . Make your own or print the 10 x 10 dots grid. Start making lines by connecting two dots with the idea that when you make a square (four connected dots) you write your name or initial in it, claiming the territory therein as your own. No vertical or diagonals allowed. Winner has the most claimed boxes. Variant is triangles instead of squares.

Reversi (or Othello)

Board is typically double-side 8 x 8 of squares, often black and white. Each player has 32 discs, traditionally one color for each, usually black and white.
Setup: Place four discs in the center of the board, with two black discs placed diagonally on the dark squares and two white discs placed diagonally on the light squares. (Some boards may have designated starting squares marked for these first four pieces).
Flank and Flip: Choose an empty square on the board and place one of your discs face-up on that square. our placement must "flank" your opponent's pieces. A flank occurs when your new disc sits next to (either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) one or more of your opponent's pieces, and then another row of your opponent's pieces beyond that, all in a straight line. If you can flank your opponent's pieces in this way, you can then flip all of the opponent's pieces in that line to your color.
Winning: The game continues with players taking turns placing discs and flipping their opponent's pieces. The game ends when all 64 squares on the board are filled, or when neither player has any legal moves left (no empty squares or placements that can flank and flip opponent's pieces). The winner is determined by the player who has the most discs of their color facing up on the board at the end of the game.

GO, Weiqu, Baduk

Learn to play

Play online

Games of Taking Away

Chomp Game for two players. Draw a rectangular grid, with a common size being 4x4 squares. Shade in the bottom left corner, marking this as the dreaded "poisoned square" – the one to avoid chomping on at all costs! Players take turns selecting any unshaded square on the grid. The catch? They must then devour all the squares directly above and to the right of their chosen square, including the chosen one itself. These devoured squares are then shaded in, leaving behind a growing map of the chomped territory. The player who is forced to take a bite out of the poisoned square suffers a delicious defeat!

chomp

Nim (note who plays first and who wins each time) Given one or more piles (nim-heaps), players alternate by taking all or some of the counters in a single heap. The player taking the last counter or stack of counters is the winner.