Abstract strategy game

Characteristics of an abstract strategy game

An abstract strategic board game has a number of characteristics.

A first characteristic is that there is often perfect information. Perfect information means that the players have the same information. In chess, for example, both players can see the position of the pieces on the board. When it is a player's turn, the player makes their next move based on this information, certain assumptions they make, and their strategy.

A second characteristic is that the luck factor is not or hardly present. If it is present, it is of subordinate importance to winning the game. The next move, for example, does not depend on a card being drawn or dice being rolled. However, there are games where dice are used, but which are still considered abstract strategy games. An example of such a game is Can’t Stop. Based on what you have rolled, you still have to make certain tactical choices yourself.

As mentioned earlier, an abstract strategy game also has no theme.

What game mechanisms does an abstract strategy game have?

On the English Wikipedia page about strategy games, games are classified into different game mechanisms. For example, games are classified in the category ‘chess-like’. Examples of games in our collection that fall into this category are Baragoon and Hive.

There are also 'x-in-a-row' games. Here you need to place a certain number of pieces in a row or a specific pattern. Games in our collection that fall into this category are, among others, Lo-Xio and Mijnlieff.

There are also 'connection games'. Here, sides must be connected. Eyensteyn and ConHex are games that fall into this category.

Other game mechanisms are 'stacking games', 'blocking games', and 'positional games'.

A favorite social game of ours in this category is the game Rumis +. In this game, you have to ensure that by the end of the game you have created the largest surface area seen from above.

There is also the Wikipedia category 'Non-combinatorial abstract strategy games.' These are games where there is imperfect information. Here you have to combine pieces of information to arrive at the correct solution. An example of such a game is Black Box. This game is also very suitable for gifted individuals. The classic among this type of thinking games is Mastermind.

For which age group are strategy games suitable?

Strategy games are suitable for all ages, but the level of complexity and difficulty can vary. Many strategy games are designed for adults because these games focus on developing planning and strategy. However, we have plenty of strategy games in our collection that are suitable for children and adolescents.
In short, strategy games are suitable for all ages, and playing these games can contribute to the cognitive and intellectual growth of both children and adults.

How long does a strategy game last?

How long a strategy game lasts depends on various factors. Some games last 15 to 20 minutes, but others last an hour. There are even games that take days or weeks to complete. Factors that can influence the duration of a strategy game include the number of players, the complexity of the rules, the planned playing time, and how long players take for their turn.

Are strategy games difficult?

Strategy games can definitely be difficult. This depends on the type of game. The level of difficulty of a game can vary greatly, depending on the level and complexity of the game. Some games are quite simple and easy to understand, while others can be very challenging and require a lot of time and effort to learn and play.

For the games in our collection, the rules are generally easy to understand, but nevertheless, the game can have depth. Moreover, the difficulty level of strategy games varies greatly depending on the level and complexity of the game. The games require the ability to think strategically, the ability to react to changing circumstances, and a good understanding of the rules and mechanics of the game.

Yes, often. In a strategy game, you have to think about the long term and anticipate your opponent’s moves. It therefore requires a lot of strategic insight and planning. In addition, many strategy games are complex and contain many different rules and mechanisms, making learning the game a challenge in itself. Moreover, some strategy games can be quite competitive and it can be difficult to win consistently. Yet strategy games can also be incredibly fun and challenging, and it is precisely this challenge that attracts many people. So yes, strategy games are often difficult, but that does not make them any less worthwhile to play!

How do I find a fun strategy game on your site?

What makes a game fun is, of course, very personal. We have a wide range of strategy games. Ranging from two-player games to family games, from games for young and old. However, the number of strategic thematic games is very limited.
To make it easier to find a fun game on our site, we have an advanced filter option on the site. With this, you can easily select a game. Our filter works differently than the filter options on many other sites. Our filter option operates according to AND logic, while filters on many other sites operate according to OR logic. With our filter option, it is therefore possible, for example, to search for a game that meets the following criteria: an abstract strategy game for 2-4 players for ages 8 and up. In our blog post 'The difference between AND logic and OR logic' you can read more about our filter function.

Our favorite strategy games

What a fun game is found is strongly personal. Our favorite strategy games at the moment are Rumis +, Lanterns of Lanzhou, Onitama, Lo-Xio, and. Our all-time favorite strategy game is Rumis. Unfortunately, the wooden version of Rumis is sold out. However, we still have a number of copies of the plastic version of Rumis.

Why don’t you sell the game ........ ?

We frequently get the question why we don’t have a certain game X in our collection. There are many fun (strategy) games, of which we also do not have very many in our collection. The reason for this is that we want to differentiate our collection from other (web)stores. Well-known games such as, for example, the aforementioned Ticket to Ride or Settlers of Catan are therefore not in our collection. You can get these games 'on every street corner.'
We sell many games that you can’t get on every street corner. For some games, we are even the only retailer in the world to sell the games new. Two games that are nowhere else in the world for sale are Rumis+ and Lo-Xio.

I don’t know many of the games you sell. How do I know if they are fun?

Game descriptions and tutorial videos

That can indeed be a problem. That is why we try to provide the best possible description of the games. In addition, tutorial videos will be made for many games.

Game parties

We also organize game afternoons and evenings. During such an evening, you will get explanations of different games and the games can be played. If desired, the games can also be ordered. More information about such game gatherings can be found at

So, if you are looking for a strategic game where it is not about luck but about your decisions and your way of playing, and that will bring you lots of playing pleasure, be sure to continue browsing our site.

The following sources were used for certain information in the above text:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_abstract_strategy_games#References and https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1009/abstract-strategy