MENSA’s Top Five Best Games – U.S.A.
Toy Testing Council Award – Canada
Parent’s Choice Gold Award – U.S.A.
Prix des Consommateurs – Canada
Grand Prix du Jouet – France
Game of the Year – U.S.A.
Toy Award – Belgique
Produced by Gigamic
2 or 4 Players
Apart from the crazy spelling, and that it can drive wedges into friendships, Quoridor is a simple yet thoroughly addictive and tactical board game. Produced by the good people at Gigamic (More info at www.gigamic.com) it is suitable for pretty much any age, so long as they understand the rules, and has the added advantage that each game only lasts 15 – 20 minutes. Includes a wooden board, 4 different coloured pawns, 20 fences and instructions (The whole thing is a kind of classy varnished wood affair).
Object (2 Players)
The game board is a 9x9 square grid with grooves between the squares. Each player controls one pawn which are positioned initially on opposite sides of the board on the centre square of the edge row as shown in ASCII art below (@ represents one player and * represents the other):
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | @ | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | * | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
The object is to move your pawn to any square on the row opposite your start (i.e. Any square on the row closest to your opponent). In addition to the pawn, each player is given 10 ‘
fences’ which can be placed on the board in the grooves between the squares.
Playing the Game
Players decided who goes first, and take turns from then on. Each turn a player may either move their pawn one square forwards backwards, left of right (Not diagonally or out of the 9x9 area of play) or they may place one of their 10 fences in a legal position on the board. Once placed a fence cannot be moved (assuming it has been placed legally) and once all your fences have been placed then your only option is to move your pawn on your turn. The diagram below shows the pawn movement (Representing possible moves with a ‘?’):
| | | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | ? | |
--+---+---+---+--
| ? | @ | ? |
--+---+---+---+--
| | ? | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | | |
Fences
Players cannot move through or over fences and they must be placed in accordance with the following rules:
- They must be placed between 2 sets of 2 squares (i.e. they cannot block just one square)
- The edge of the board acts as a wall and therefore a fence must be fully contained within the area of play
- Most importantly there must always be a route left open (no matter how inconvenient) for both players to reach their respective goals.
Below is shown a legal fence play and the possible moves the player may make (Fence is shown by a row of ‘=’):
| | | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | | |
--+---=========--
| ? | @ | ? |
--+---+---+---+--
| | ? | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | | |
Facing Pawns
If pawns come
face to face and assuming there is not a fence behind the opponent’s pawn then you may
jump over his/her pawn to the square directly behind him/her. If there is a fence directly behind the opponent then you may jump to the square to either the
left or the
right of the opponent (again assuming there is not a fence there). See the examples below (it is the ‘@’ player’s turn):
| | | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | ? | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | * | |
--+---+---+---+--
| ? | @ | ? |
--+---+---+---+--
| | ? | |
Or
| | | |
--+---+---+---+--
| | | |
--=========---+--
| ? | * = |
--+---+---=---+--
| ? | @ = |
--+---+---=---+--
| | ? | |
It should be noted that in 4 player games multiple jumps in one turn (Checkers style) are not allowed.
Game Hints
Ok, so now you know how to play (and it’s much simpler than it sounds when written out like this) you might want to consider a few helpful hints to get you thinking. This is not a definitive breakdown of every game tactic, but more like a few basic ideas.
Leave two routes open - One of the most obvious tactics is to let the opponent start moving one way across the board then block off this route to force them into backtracking across the board. Be wary of opponents sealing off the route behind they have taken which rules out you sending them back.
Securing your own route - Careful fence placement can allow you to secure your route, or make it difficult for an opponent to send you on a detour. Remember that you only have a limited number of fences however, and by using yours to secure your route, you may be giving your opponent an easy ride.
Watch out for narrow paths - When there is only a single narrow path left on the board for you both to move down, remember that you must both move down it, so introducing obstacles before you’ve made it through might not be the best idea.
The Jump! - The jump (as described above in ‘Facing Pawns’) can be crucial, if at all possible try to ensure that if there is going to be a jump then you get it (without wasting turns obviously). The jump basically gives you a free square’s movement.
Don’t be put off - During most games you’ll have to make a major detour to the route you started out on. Don’t be put off by this, make your opponent do the same by placing fences to lengthen their path.
4-Player game
The rules are essentially the same (Note the jumping rule) however each player starts with only 5 fences and 2 of the players are working across the board perpendicular to the other 2. It is more difficult to be very tactical in a 4-player game, as you always have to be careful the you are not completely blocking the players moving across your path. It is a fun addition to the game, but not as thought provoking as the 2 player version.
Credit must be given to Mirko Marchesi for the concept