Blockdance

Blockdance

Designer: Bill Taylor
Type: Abstract
Status: Free
BGG entry: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/33044
Available from: http://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~jpn/gv/blockdance.htm

The game is played on a 8 sided hexagonal board, with groups if 7 stones, arranged in a hexagonal formation, at the center of each side, with opposing colors facing each other (a diagram is available on the game's website.)

On each turn, a player: (a) selects a group of connected friendly stones, (b) name one as pivot, and (c) rotate the group any multiple of 60 degrees around the pivot, provided all the landing places are either empty, with opponent stones, or one of his own cells that the move is just vacating. Any opponent stones landed on are captured. Passing is legal, and compulsory if no moves are legal.

The winner is whoever captures all his opponent's stones.

Blockdance does not have great clarity, i.e., it is very hard to predict what is the exact outcome of a sequence of moves. However, part of this difficulty vanishes once a player gets used to these pivot moves, and even if there is not much strategy, the game is highly tactical and fun.