http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/rss/catalog/tag/tagName/Chess-like/ Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000 Zend_Feed en_US http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/hive-game So, you love games of abstract strategy, but you’re tired of the same old military-themed matches. Well then, welcome to the Hive: a kinder, gentler, board-less game that will flex your brain’s left hemisphere and put your strategic planning skills to work. The object of Hive is to surround your opponent’s Queen Bee with ants, spiders, beetles and grasshoppers. Each bug-themed piece has its own way of moving, resulting in endless strategies and counter-strategies. Sometimes called “nature’s chess,” this highly addictive two-player game is well designed, superbly crafted and never, ever tested on bugs. Hive comes with a handy carrying case, making it a smart travel game. ]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/abalone-board-game Our hyper-connected world has made us mad multi-taskers. Which is all well and good except for one thing: it’s given us human beings the attention spans of a gnat. That’s where Abalone board game comes in. This strategic game helps players focus their attention as they try to push six of their opponent’s 14 marbles off the hexagon playing surface. But there’s a catch: it takes two marbles to move one of your opponent’s marbles and three to move two. While the game seems simple, it’s not simplistic. Abalone’s six directions of movement require players to stay focused as they balance both offensive and defensive strategy.]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/quarto If there were a popularity contest for games, QUARTO! would be class president, prom king and head cheerleader all rolled into one. The object of one of the world’s most award-winning games is seemingly simple: outwit other players by lining up four pieces with common characteristics. But, as with all good-for-your-brain games, there’s a catch: your opponent chooses the piece you play with. QUARTO! not only tests your strategic, visual perception and deductive reasoning skills, this handsome, crafted-from-wood game also looks cunningly cute on a coffee table. Smart and sexy. Head cheerleaders everywhere would be jealous.]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/quoridor The objective of Quoridor is to advance your pawn to the opposite end of the board. With each turn, you’re faced with a decision: move your pawn or place a wall to hinder your opponent. The first pawn to the other side wins. But don’t be fooled by this Mensa Select Winner’s simple rules. The strategic thinking, planning and problem solving skills needed to master Quoridor are enough to make corporate takeover geniuses salivate. This fast-paced strategy game will have you playing round after round, learning from trial and error, and developing your strategy as you go.]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/khet Khet is basically like chess with Egyptian-themed pieces and laser lights, which is magnificently and unapologetically as geeky as it sounds. On your turn, you can move one of your mirrored or non-mirrored playing pieces one space in any direction, or rotate it 90 degrees without moving squares. Now for the fun part: Your turn isn’t complete until you fire the laser and send your light beam around the playing field. If the light stops on a pharaoh, the player whose pharaoh is illuminated loses the game (even if it’s your own!) If the light stops on another piece, that piece is removed from the board. The player whose pharaoh is left standing wins the game. ]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/dragon-face Fast forward to the year 2527. The universe is divided into two ideological spheres and an epic battle of the minds is underway. Your mission? Capture your opponent’s Emperor. To do this, you need to jump over your opponent’s Ambassadors and Governors to convert them to your way of thinking, which will take some serious critical thinking on your part. Nobody ever said conquering the universe would be easy. Dragon Face combines elements of checkers and chess (but with simpler rules) and has a simple complexity that makes it a smart game for strategy game fans ages eight and up. ]]> Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:04:19 +0000