PLAYED FOR YOU

Talat

THE POWER OF THREE

Originally made from wood and published by Puzzlewood, the game on three boards is now available from Huch & friends. You play a game for three on three boards with three different sizes of pieces; each player uses one set of pieces and place to games at the same time – one each against each of the other two players.

You have nine pieces, three square columns, three triangular columns and three hexagonal columns. At the start you place the pieces at the baseline of your two boards; four pieces on one board and five pieces on the other. Pieces move straight or diagonally forward onto free spots, one piece can be moved per turn. Pieces that are positioned orthogonally or diagonally in front of or at the side of a stronger piece can be defeated. The higher a piece is the stronger it is, but the smallest triangle defeats the higher square, squares are more valuable than hexagons which in turn are more valuable than triangles.

After the start set-up you must move or defeat, you cannot pass or move backwards, you cannot jump over a piece or defeat one of your own pieces. When no defeat is possible anymore on a board is is considered to be frozen. When two boards are frozen you score 5 points for each opposing piece you did beat and three points for each of your own pieces in the base line of an opponent.

The movement mechanisms are known per se, unusual and new is the idea to play with a number of boards equal to the number of players and to divide the pieces among the boards; takes some getting used to but is fascinating! This edition provides an affordable tidbit for fans of abstract tactical games and unusual rules.

Players: 3

Age: 8+

Time: 33+

Designer: Bruce Whitehill

Artist: not named

Price: ca. 20 Euro

Publisher: Huch & friends 2011

Web: www.huchandfriends.com

Genre: Abstract position game

Users: With friends

Version: multi

Rules: de en fr nl

In-game text:

Comments:

Attractive, elegant components

Can be played only by three

Purely abstract game

Fascinating game mechanism

Compares to:

Drei, basically the first game of this kind, reminds one somewhat of simultaneous chess games

Other editions:

Drei, Puzzlewood

Chance (pink): 0

Tactic (turquoise): 3

Strategy (blue): 2

Creativity (dark blue): 0

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 0

Interaction (brown): 3

Dexterity (green): 0

Action (dark green): 0