Blokus

In A Nutshell

This shapes placing strategy game has won lots of awards and is styled as the most award winning game in the world! Basically you take it in turns to place the shapes on the board, following the rules for placement, and the winner is the one who gets rid of more shapes. You all start with 21 different shapes and sizes of pieces - though they are all made up of joined-squares.

Chooses a colour and grab your set of shapes, you then have to start from your own corner, and each extra piece must touch your own colour, but only at the corners! The aim is to cover as much of the board as you can, while blocking your opponents. The game's over when no one can go, and the winner is the player who has the least total area of pieces left.

It doesn't take long to play a game, and the rules are really easy to pick up, and like Cirondo, Blokus can be played online to see if you like the concept.

They Say

"One day Bernard Tavitian was looking for an original frame for a painting he had just completed. His painting represented an orchestra; the characters were stylised and made up of geometric figures. For his first attempt in black and white, he used pentominoes without letting two identical pieces touch each other. When he thought about adding colour to this frame, he chose different colours for each pentomino. He then reworked his frame with the idea that two pieces of the same colour would never touch. This posed a complex problem - but an exciting one! He also adopted the principles of a mathematical theorem that he knew: the four colour theorem. He was so fascinated by the arrangement of his pieces and his colours that he quickly realised that he had found the principles of an exceptional game. He quickly found the ideal number of pieces and the ideal size for the board. The game of Blokus was born!"

In The Box

• Playing grid with 400 squares
• 21 shapes in four different colours - 84 pieces
• Rules

More Information

Developed by: Bernard Tavitian & Sekkoia

Publisher / Distributor: Green Board Game Co', +44 (0)1794 538 999

Official Website: www.blokus.com

Buy a copy online from: Curious Minds

Category: Abstract Strategy Game / Family Game

Number of players: 1-4

Ages: 7+

Takes: 20-30 minutes