How To Play: Amazons

If you’ve ever watched your friends leave you stranded in Amazons and wondered where it all went wrong, you’re in the right place! In this guide, I’ll outline the rules (because playing with made-up rules never ends well) and share the best strategies for winning. Whether you’re new or you just want to finally beat Terry for once, let’s get you ahead.

Overview

What’s in the box

• 1 game board
• 4 sets of 4 amazon pieces (16 amazons total)
• 88 arrow markers
• 1 rulebook

How To Play Amazons: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Place the board in the center. It should look empty and full of promise, like my fridge before payday.
2. Each player picks four amazons of their color.
3. Put your amazons on their starting spots: corners and center-edge squares on your side. If unsure, the rulebook has a fancy diagram. I once tried just putting them anywhere. Do not recommend.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, pick an amazon to move just like a chess queen (any number of empty squares straight or diagonally).
2. Next, launch an arrow from that amazon’s landing spot. The arrow flies just like the amazon, but when it lands, it blocks the square forever. My friend once tried making noises for the arrow. It’s not required, but weirdly satisfying.
3. Play then passes to your opponent. Repeat until everyone starts sweating over their next move.

Winning

1. The game ends when neither player can make a legal move.
2. Count the number of empty squares each player can still reach with their amazons. Whoever controls more territory wins. In my group, ties are settled with a staring contest, but official rules just call it a tie.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. You can’t move through or land on arrows, other amazons, or small snacks accidentally left on the board.
2. If you can’t move an amazon or shoot an arrow, that amazon is out for the rest of the game. Tough luck!
3. Remember: It’s all about blocking your rivals and carving out space. Think ahead, or you may end up marooned on a tiny island of doom.

So, that’s how to play amazons! With these rules, you’ll avoid the rookie mistakes I made my first time. Now get out there and start blocking like your friendships depend on it!

Best Amazons Strategies

Mastering The First Moves: Grab That Ground!

I’ve noticed the start in Amazons matters way more than I thought. When you know How To Play amazons, you see that first moves shape the whole match. The more ground you grab—fast!—the more options you’ll have later. Here’s my battle plan:

Spread Your Amazons Early

1. Send each amazon in a different direction right away.
2. Don’t clump them; that’s like throwing away space.

Block Sneaky Rivals

1. Watch your opponent’s first moves and block paths with your first arrows.
2. Try to trap an enemy amazon by shrinking their area.

Claim Corners If You Can

1. Rush to at least one corner; holding a corner gives you free space to breathe, and that makes your life way easier.

Stop Them in Their Tracks: Mastering the Art of Blocking in Amazons

Cut Off Big Areas

First, grab the chance to slice the board by placing your queen so arrows seal off huge spaces. Try these:

1. Park an amazon near rivals, then fire an arrow to seal their exits.
2. Use two amazons to pinch a gap, making a no-go wall.

Snatch the Fast Routes

Next, after you move, always plant arrows in key corridors. This forces your opponents to zigzag. Tricks include:

1. Arrow down choke points before your friend gets there.
2. Keep your amazons spread out to aim at long lanes.

Trap Their Last Queen

Finally, if you see a lonely queen, team up your pieces to trap her. She won’t thank you, but you’ll win more.

1. Circle with arrows and block all exits by turn’s end.

Amazons Endgame: Lock, Load, and Win!

Plan Ahead for Endgame

Once the board shrinks, every move matters. I always try to see a few steps ahead. That way, I don’t trap myself in a tiny corner while my friend Steve takes half the map.

Control Key Zones

Blocking off sweet spots in the center pays off. When I grab those, my amazons have more options, and my rivals get stuck.

1. Use arrows to seal off escape routes.
2. Keep your amazons spaced out, not stacked together.
3. Pick spots with the most future moves for each queen.

Move with Efficiency

Efficiency wins games. If I waste turns, my friends pounce on the open spaces. So, I always pick moves that create the biggest private area.

1. Always look for double-purpose moves.
2. Limit rival amazons with every arrow you fire.

How To Play amazons Successfully in Endgame

Remember, in the final rounds, fewer spaces mean harsher mistakes. Think two moves ahead, block rivals, and keep those queens spread out. That’s how to play amazons for the win!

Claim Your Spot as the Amazon Master!

Alright, my fellow board game battlers, there you have it—the most useful (and maybe least boring) guide on How To Play amazons you’ll find on the internet. After many nights of friendly arguments, dramatic arrow placements, and more than a few snacks spilled in excitement, I can say one thing for sure: strategy wins games, but having fun with friends is what makes Amazons a keeper. So spread your amazons, block your rivals, and remember—if someone flips the board, they’re probably just jealous of your skills. Go become a legend, or at least, the reason your friends groan in fear at game night. Happy blocking!

Want to know what we think of Amazons? Read our detailed review of Amazons here