How To Play: Focus

Overview

If you want to actually win at Focus (instead of just knocking over stacks and starting board game brawls with your friends), you’re in the right place. In this guide, I’ll give you a short and sweet outline of the game rules and my best, hard-earned strategies for victory. Trust me, after endless smack talk and surprise comebacks, I’ve learned what works—and what will get you laughed off the table.

What’s in the box

• 1 game board
• 18 green pieces
• 18 yellow pieces
• 18 red pieces
• 18 blue pieces
• Rulebook

How To Play Focus: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Lay out the 6×6 board in the center of your table. Do not eat snacks on it. Trust me, crumbs get everywhere.
2. Give each player their set of colored pieces. Usually, 18 per player if there are four, more if there are fewer folks.
3. Players take turns placing their pieces one by one onto the board until every square is filled. Yes, Aunt Linda, you have to do it in order.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, pick any stack where your piece is on top. If you’re trying to move a stack that isn’t yours, nice try, but no.
2. Move the whole stack, or just part of it, exactly as many spaces as the number of pieces you pick up. If you grab three, you move three spaces—no shortcuts!
3. You can move in straight lines only. No diagonal shenanigans.
4. If you land on another stack, make one big happy pile. But any stack taller than five loses pieces from the bottom until it’s back down to five.
5. Keep any of your own color pieces that come off the bottom. Discard the others—unless you love giving away victory points.

Winning

1. When a player has no more legal moves, the game ends. (Pro tip: This happens faster than expected when your friends are ruthless.)
2. Count up how many of your own color pieces you’ve captured. The one with the most is the Focus champ!

Special Rules & Conditions

1. You can only move stacks when your piece sits on top. Stacks led by other people are off limits. No exceptions—even if Steve owes you five bucks.
2. Corners and edges are fair game, but you can’t go off the side of the board—unless you want to lose a piece and some respect.
3. Keeping singles safe is smart. Isolate them and dare your rivals to approach. Just don’t fall asleep, or someone will scoop up your singles.

There you go! Now, next time someone asks How To Play focus, you’ll sound like you actually know what you’re talking about. Good luck and remember, stack wisely!

Best Focus Strategies

Stack Your Way To Glory: Mastering Stack Management And Movement In Focus

Understanding the Stack Rules

First, always remember: only move stacks with your own pieces on top. Forgetting this leads to hilarious mistakes—I once moved my opponent’s tower and got laughed at for three rounds straight.

Building Mighty Towers

1. Combine single pieces to form taller stacks.
2. Stay alert—large stacks attract opponents like a moth to a lamp.

Mobility Over Bulk

1. Smaller stacks move faster, making them sneakier.
2. Use big stacks to control key spots, but don’t let them get stranded.

How To Play focus: Stack Movement Tricks

1. Hop around with stacks, spreading them as you go.
2. Block opponents by putting your stack at choke points.

Piece Control and Blocking: Outsmart Your Opponent Every Time

Master the Art of Piece Control

Piece control is like being the boss of the board. You want your pieces stacked high, but also close to the action. When you control more stacks, you hold more power. Here’s how to do it:

1. Keep your stacks mobile. Move them near the enemy for quick attacks.
2. Never leave single pieces stranded. They’re easy targets.
3. Spread but don’t get greedy—too much area weakens your focus. (Pun intended!)

Blocking: Slow Down Their Pace

I always block my friend Sam’s best stacks, and wow, it annoys him! Blocking does wonders. Here’s how to play focus on blocking:

1. Place your stacks between key enemy pieces and the goal.
2. Set up “walls” so your opponent wastes moves getting around.
3. Use small stacks as roadblocks—don’t risk your biggest towers!

Think Ahead and Adapt

When you see your opponent’s plans, change yours up. Stay flexible. It’s almost as important as keeping snacks at the table.

Cracking the Code: Endgame Planning in Focus

Spotting the Win Early

Always watch stack sizes as the game winds down. You want more of your color, but also want to control spread. Here’s what I learned after losing to my buddy Sam three games in a row:

1. Count your pieces every turn—don’t let a sneaky stack slip away.
2. Plan moves two ahead, not just one.

Outsmart Opponents

Focus gets wild at the end, so stay sharp. Try these:

1. Pin rival stacks with your own to limit options.
2. Break up big enemy stacks before they score.

How To Play Focus Like a Pro

Remember to use all your movement tricks, because last-minute switches can flip the board. That last turn can win it or lose it!

Victory Is Just a Move Away

Now you know the secret sauce (or at least the slightly spicy ketchup) to winning Focus. Remember, it’s all about smart stack management, blocking your pals, and planning five moves ahead like chess, but with way fancier towers. If you get squashed, it’s probably because you left a lonely piece stranded—I learned that the hard way (and my friends still won’t let me forget). Go grab your set, test these tips, and enjoy the chaos. With this How To Play focus, you might just leave your friends scratching their heads and begging for a rematch!

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