Designed by: Mirko Marchesi
Quoridor is an abstract game for two (or two teams of two), where each player is trying to be first across the board to the other side.
The board is made up of a grid, and each player begins with a pawn on their own side of the grid, and a set of ten walls at their disposal.
On your turn, you have two choices. You can either move your pawn one space in any straight line (including backwards) or you can place a wall. The walls will block out the paths for your opponent and force them to tread a longer path than they’d like. Meanwhile, they will be placing their walls to obstruct your progress at the same time! The only caveat is you must always leave your opponent with a valid route to your side of the board – you cannot fence them in.
The first player/team to get their pawn/s to other side is the victor.
You are blocking each other's way, so the Take That element is a fairly integral part of the game.
Low, as long as you don't play the Bobby Fischer of Quoridor.
Non-existent for the rules; but it is a game with deceptive depth.
It's not a game that screams variety, but those who love an abstract battle may enjoy repeated visits.
2-4
Players
6+
Years
15-30
Mins
Sam says
I'm not a massive enthusiast of abstract games so I'm the wrong guy to ring the bell for Quoridor: I've played with my son and after an initial burst of enthusiasm our attention waned quite quickly. But that's a reflection of our tastes rather than any flaws on the games' part: simplicity works in its favour here as a game that adults and children alike can pick up and play quickly, and it's one of the few games where the more you play, the longer it may take as you realize how to foil each other!