Abstract Strategy

Introduced by the Moors, azulejos (originally white and blue ceramic tiles) were fully embraced by the Portuguese when their king Manuel I, on a visit to the Alhambra palace in Southern Spain, was mesmerized by the stunning beauty of the Moorish decorative tiles. The king, awestruck by the interior beauty of the Alhambra, immediately ordered that his own palace in Portugal be decorated with similar wall tiles. As a tile-laying artist, you have been challenged to embellish the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora.

In the game Azul, players take turns drafting colored tiles from suppliers to their player board. Later in the round, players score points based on how they've placed their tiles to decorate the palace. Extra points are scored for specific patterns and completing sets; wasted supplies harm the player's score. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Numbers aren't worth anything in NMBR 9 unless they're off the ground floor and looking down from above.

The game includes twenty cards numbered 0-9 twice and eighty tiles numbered 0-9; each number tile is composed of squares in some arrangement. After shuffling the deck of cards, draw and reveal the first card. Each player takes a number tile matching the card and places it on the table. With each new card drawn after that, each player takes the appropriate number tile, then adds it to the tiles that they already have in play, with each player building their own arrangement of tiles.

The new tile must touch at least one other tile on the same level along one side of a square. A tile can also be placed on top of two or more other tiles as long as no part of the new tile overhangs the tiles below it; new tiles placed on this same level must touch at least one other tile, while also covering parts of at least two tiles and not overhanging.

Once all the cards have been drawn and the tiles placed, players take turns calculating their score. A tile on the bottom level — the 0th level, if you will — scores 0 points; a tile on the 1st level above this is worth as many points as the number on the tile; a tile on the 2nd level is worth twice the number on the tile; etc. Whoever scores the most points wins!

Description from the publisher:

The sun shines brightly on the canopy of the forest, and the trees use this wonderful energy to grow and develop their beautiful foliage. Sow your crops wisely and the shadows of your growing trees could slow your opponents down, but don't forget that the sun revolves around the forest. Welcome to the world of Photosynthesis, the green strategy board game!

Released both in a large edition, and as Selection #11 of The Games Collection by Pin International.

Capture three islands in a row, by controlling three points in a row on each. A strategic, move-and-place game with shifting strategies, that increases in complexity until one player wins. There is a minimum of 9 moves each, and a maximum of 24 moves for each player.

2003 Mensa Select

Fire, water, earth, wind — these four elements have driven mankind's mythology, philosophy and science for eons. Now, master the power of these primal forces in this abstract game of capture and area control.

In Element, players take turns drawing and placing four element stones to encircle opposing sages. Each element has unique properties that players can use to block an opponent's movement. Feed walls of flame, move raging rivers, raise impenetrable mountain ranges, and even bend wind to your command. Transform one element into another with the rule of replacement or sacrifice element stones to help your sage avoid capture.

Understanding the subtle, diverse, yet powerful nature of the four elements is key to surrounding your opponent and claiming victory!