Game of the Amazons
Game of the Amazons is a two-player board game on a 10x10 grid where the board itself shrinks as you play. Each side controls four amazons that move like chess queens. After moving, an amazon shoots an arrow, and the square it hits stays burned until the match ends.
Nothing ever gets captured. The player who runs out of moves first loses. This version comes from Christopher Müller's PaperGames collection, where it goes by the name Amazons.
How to play Game of the Amazons
Player 1 moves first. Every turn has two steps. Pick one of your amazons and slide it any distance in a straight line, sideways, up, down or diagonally. It cannot jump over other amazons or burned squares.
Then that same amazon fires an arrow from where it landed. The arrow follows the same straight-line rules, and its landing square gets a crosshatch mark. Burned squares block everything until the game ends. Shooting back into the square your amazon came from is allowed too.
The board highlights legal squares at each step, first for the move and then for the arrow. Below the board, a running count shows the open squares each player could slide to. If your turn comes and all four of your amazons are stuck, you lose.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move and shoot | Arrow keys and Enter: amazon, destination, arrow target | Click amazon, destination, then target | Tap amazon, destination, then target |
| Play the computer | — | Click vs Computer, choose side and level, then New game | Tap the same buttons |
| Play a friend | — | Click 2 Player (local) | Tap 2 Player (local) |
| Undo or resign | — | Click Undo or Resign | Tap Undo or Resign |
Tips
- In the opening, head toward the biggest empty areas. Space is the only thing that matters at the end.
- Think of each arrow as a brick. One well-aimed shot can seal an enemy amazon away from a whole region.
- Keep your amazons out of tight pockets. An amazon stuck in a small area is close to useless for the rest of the game.
- Check the reachable squares count often. If your number is falling much faster than your opponent's, rethink your plan.
- Late in the game, try to close off zones where you have more room than the other side, then fill them one move at a time.
If you like Game of the Amazons, try these
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Dots and BoxesSpace control in a quieter form, where each line you draw can hand your rival a box or set up a long chain for you.
Questions
How do you win the Game of the Amazons?
You win when your opponent has no legal move on their turn. That happens when all four of their amazons are hemmed in, whether by arrows, the edge of the board or other pieces.
Why does the Hard computer pause before moving?
A single turn can offer more than a thousand ways to combine a move with a shot. Hard looks two turns ahead at the most promising options, which takes a moment.
Will my game still be there after a reload?
Yes. The game in progress is saved in your browser and loads again when you return on the same device.
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