by One of the most well-known strategic-based games ever created, chess is great for boosting your brain power and focusing abilities. But it’s also a lot of fun.
It can be incredibly satisfying to win a game of chess but also one of the most frustrating to lose. It can take years of dedication to become a master of this game.
Checkers
The game of checkers is a fun and challenging board game that requires skill, forethought, and a bit of math. It is often played by people who are looking to entertain themselves, improve their logic skills, or just spend quality time with family and friends. It may seem simple, but there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.
The basic rules of checkers are that each player has 12 pieces, or “men,” that are like flat round disks and that are black or red in color. Each of these men moves diagonally one square each turn to another dark square, or “row.” When a man reaches the last row, it is crowned and can no longer move or capture, so it becomes a king. A king can capture any other piece on its row, but it cannot take the same piece that it has just jumped over.
The key to winning a game of checkers is to play an offensive strategy and to focus on crowning your pieces. You also need to block your opponent’s pieces whenever possible, so that he or she is unable to make any moves. It is also important to keep a good flow going on the center of the board and to control the space around your opponent’s king.
Japanese Chess
Japanese Chess, or Shogi, is an ancient board game that is very similar to chess. It has the same object, rules and pieces, but it differs from chess in some ways. For example, in shogi players can keep captured pieces and replay them as their own. This feature keeps the game more interesting and challenging, as it can change the outcome of a match between evenly matched opponents.
The game is played on a 9×9 board and has many of the same elements as Western chess, including a king, pawns, rooks, bishops, and knights. However, it also includes unique pieces such as gold generals and silver generals. These pieces move in different ways from the other chess pieces and can be used to attack enemy territory.
Another difference between shogi and chess is that captured pieces return to the board instead of being removed like in chess. This helps keep the game more complex and keeps the player engaged until the end. In addition, shogi has a very well-developed handicap system for beginners, while chess does not have this feature.
While shogi is an exciting and rewarding game, it can be difficult to learn. The game requires a lot of thought and strategy, and it can take years to become proficient in the game. However, once you learn the basics, you will be able to play the game with confidence.
Blokus
Blokus is another abstract strategy game that takes less than a minute to learn and has fun challenges for players of all ages. This 2-4 player game has transparent Tetris-shaped pieces that you try to fit on the board by touching them only at the corners. The game ends when you can no longer fit any of your pieces and whoever has the fewest number of remaining pieces wins! Blokus requires some quiet time and protection from distractions as it is a workout for your concentration skills. It also helps develop spatial reasoning by having kids mentally rotate and flip the shapes to see how they will fit on the board.
Like many of the other games in this list Blokus has a little bit of a chess feel to it but has its own unique style of gameplay. It’s an excellent choice for people that don’t like a lot of strategy and just want to have some fun.
There are a few different ways to play this game, but the most popular is to follow the color order of blue, yellow, red, and then green to decide who goes first. When it’s your turn you place one of your tiles on the board and only touch it to another tile of the same color at the corner. This is an excellent way to block your opponents and make them struggle to get their pieces in the game.
Go
Like Chess, Go requires a great deal of mental and strategic focus. However, it is a more complex game that takes years to master properly. It is also a great alternative for players who may be tired of the chess genre.
In the world of Go, there are many ways to win and possible ending scenarios. In general, a player wins by surrounding more territory than their opponent. To do this, the player must plan their moves and think globally rather than locally. The player must also be able to anticipate the opponent’s actions. This will require a great deal of self discipline and a balanced approach to the game.
A game of Go is recorded using a coordinate system similar to algebraic chess notation. This makes the game more accessible to beginners, though it will still be challenging for them. In addition, the game is played on a 19 by 19 board, which can be difficult for some to navigate.
Another unique aspect of Go is that it supports a well-balanced handicap system. This allows stronger players to play with a weaker partner and be challenged. The handicap is established by the difference in rank between the two players. Generally, the weaker player will take black. This will allow them to start the game with four stones in addition to their own.
