Draughts
The most familiar board: dark squares, diagonal moves, compulsory capturing and a king that makes crossing the whole board worthwhile.
move by move: a guide to classic board games
Move by move: a guide to classic board games
A board, a handful of pieces or pebbles and two people at a table — that is all classic abstract games need. There is no luck involved: everything that happens on the board comes down to your moves and your opponent's. Blogokamne explains these games calmly and in order: how draughts, Go, reversi, nine men's morris, mancala, gomoku and ugolki work, which ideas to start with when you think about strategy, how to show the rules to a child and how to make a game at the family table enjoyable for everyone. We describe the rules in outline and suggest settling the finer points before the first move.
A good game starts before the first move — when everyone at the table understands the rules the same way.
Where to start
Go
Stones on the intersections of lines, empty neighbouring points and a contest for territory. The easiest way to get to know the game is on a small 9×9 board.
Reversi and nine men's morris
Games where the position can turn around in a single move: trapped discs change colour, and a completed mill removes an opponent's piece.
Playing as a family
How to choose a game to suit the ages and mood of your group, explain the rules without rushing and learn to lose gracefully.
Site sections
- Games
Game cards: Russian draughts, Go, reversi, nine men's morris, mancala, gomoku and ugolki — the board, the aim and where to start.
- Guides
Your first game of draughts step by step, from setting up to reviewing the game. Plus the catalogue of our articles.
- Strategy
The centre, tempo, exchanges, sacrifices, weak points and the endgame — general strategic ideas for any board game.
- Rules
Why one game can have several sets of rules and how to agree on them before the first move.
- How to choose
How to choose a game for your group: age, game length, depth, how easy it is to learn and whether you need a set.
- Questions
Answers about the guide, rules and disputes at the board, teaching children and playing as a family.
- Terms
Glossary: king, capture, liberties, komi, territory, eye, mill, sowing, draw, endgame, tempo and exchange.
Your first game in five steps
Choose a game
For a first evening, pick a game with short rules: gomoku, ugolki or Russian draughts. The harder games will still be there, and a good start keeps the interest going.
Agree on the rules
Talk through the tricky points in advance: is capturing compulsory, can moves be taken back, what counts as a draw. A minute of talking before the game saves a long argument in the middle of it.
Set up the board
Place the board so that it suits both of you, lay out the pieces and count them. If you have no board, draw one on paper and use buttons or pebbles instead of pieces.
Play slowly and out loud
It helps a beginner if you explain every move: what you want to do and what you are worried about. That way the rules become clear ideas rather than a list of prohibitions.
Review the game afterwards
When the game is over, go back to the most interesting moments. Ask each other where you could have played differently, and thank your opponent for the game.
The essentials in brief
Do you sell games or sets?
No. Blogokamne sells nothing and does not tell you where to buy a board. Many of the games in this guide can be drawn on a sheet of paper, with buttons or pebbles instead of pieces.
Which game should a child start with?
One whose rules fit into a couple of sentences and where a game doesn't last long: making a row, for example, or moving your pieces into a corner. Draughts and Go are a good next step once a child enjoys thinking a few moves ahead.
Can you play without a board?
Yes. A board for gomoku, nine men's morris or ugolki is easy to draw on squared paper, and for mancala a few small bowls will do as pits. Paper and a handful of pebbles are quite enough to get started.
Do you play for money?
No. We don't encourage playing for stakes: classic board games are interesting in their own right, and the real reward is the pleasure of a good game and your opponent's respect.
About the guide
Blogokamne is an independent reference about classic abstract board games. We are interested in games without chance: their rules in outline, first strategic ideas, teaching children, recording games, playing by correspondence and etiquette at the board.
This guide has no connection with earlier websites on this domain and does not reproduce their content.
We don't sell games or sets, we don't run tournaments, and we don't name players, publishers, apps or websites. Our aim is to explain the essentials so that you can sit down at a board and play your first game today.
Related reading
- Games
Game cards: Russian draughts, Go, reversi, nine men's morris, mancala, gomoku and ugolki — the board, the aim and where to start.
- Guides
Your first game of draughts step by step, from setting up to reviewing the game. Plus the catalogue of our articles.
- Strategy
The centre, tempo, exchanges, sacrifices, weak points and the endgame — general strategic ideas for any board game.
- Questions
Answers about the guide, rules and disputes at the board, teaching children and playing as a family.
What we rely on
- Rulebooks of federations and clubs (in general terms)
- Editorial material of this guide
We describe the rules in general terms. Clubs, families and different rulebooks have their own variations, so before a serious game check the rules you agreed on at the board.