Rules

The Game of the Amazons is a two-player abstract game invented in 1988 by Walter Zamkauskas of Argentina. The game is played by moving pieces and blocking the opponents from squares, and the last player able to move is the winner. Amazons is played on a 10x10 chessboard, the two players black are White and Black, each starting with four amazons as shown in the starting picture above.

Gameplay

White moves first, and the players alternate moves thereafter. Each move consists of two parts. First, the player moves one of their own amazons one or more empty squares in a straight line (orthogonally or diagonally), exactly as a queen in chess, however it may not capture anything. Second, after moving, the same amazons piece then shoots an arrow from its destination to another square, using another queenlike move. This arrow may travel in any orthogonal or diagonal direction (even backwards), but cannot cross or enter a square where another arrow has landed or amazons of either colour. The square where the arrow lands is marked to show that is can no longer be used. The last player to be able to make a move wins. Draws are impossible - unless agreed upon before the game ends.

Strategy

The strategy of the game is based on using arrows (as well as your amazons) to block the movement of the opponent's amazons and gradually wall off territory, trying to trap the opponents in smaller regions and gain larger areas for oneself. Each move reduces the available playing area, and eventually each amazon finds itself in a territory blocked off from all other amazons. The amazon can then move about its territory firing arrows until it no longer has any room to move. The player with the largest amount of territory will be able to win, as the opponent will have to fill in their own territory more quickly.