Board games
Abalone
AsmodeeMichel Lalet, Laurent Levi1987
- players
- 2
- minutes
- 30
- years
- 7+
In the box
1 hexagonal board · 28 marbles: 14 white, 14 black
Official rules (PDF, publisher's site)
Box details
- Designers
- Michel Lalet, Laurent Levi
- Artwork
- Laurent Levi
- Publisher
- Asmodee
- Mechanics
- Grid MovementHexagon GridPushingCapture
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Push six of your opponent's marbles off the hexagonal board. On your turn, move one, two or three of your marbles in a line by one space, all in the same direction; in-line and outnumbering them, you can push your opponent's marbles, three pushing one or two, two pushing one. The game ends as soon as a player has pushed off six opposing marbles: that player wins.
Checked against the official rules · October 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
61-space board, 14 marbles per player, Black moves first
- A hexagonal board with sixty-one spaces, fourteen marbles per player.
- Standard layout: two full rows and three marbles in the middle of the third.
- Each player picks a colour; Black always moves first, then players alternate.
How to play
1 to 3 marbles in line, Sumito when outnumbering, Pac when equal
- One move per turn: you move one, two or three of your marbles, adjacent and in a line, by one space and all in the same direction.
- In-line, you can push your opponent's marbles if you outnumber them: three push one or two, two push one. This is a sumito.
- A push needs an empty space, or the edge of the board, behind the marbles being pushed. With equal numbers, nobody can push: this is a pac.
- Broadside, you move a group sideways, without ever pushing: every destination space must be empty.
Scoring
Marble pushed off: 1 pt, 6 marbles to win
- A marble pushed off the board counts as one point: six are enough to win.
End of the game
6 marbles pushed off
- The game ends as soon as a player has pushed off six of their opponent's marbles.
House rules and pitfalls
Three marbles in a line cannot be pushed along their axis, even by greater numbers…
- Three marbles in a line cannot be pushed along their axis, even by greater numbers: you never move more than three marbles. You have to attack them along another axis.
- The centre of the board is the strong position: from there, no push can eject you in a single move.
- The player who spreads out loses: a compact mass is the only defence against pushes.
- The rules also allow a timed game, for example ten or fifteen minutes per player; official tournaments are always played this way.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · Rules on video · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
Can you push three marbles against three?
No. A push requires numerical superiority: three marbles push one or two, two marbles push one. Three against three is a stalemate, called a pac, and a fourth marble changes nothing: you never move more than three.
What is a sumito in Abalone?
A push with numerical superiority, along the axis of the line: three marbles against two or one, two marbles against one. It is only possible if there is an empty space, or the edge of the board, behind the marbles being pushed. With equal numbers, nobody can push.
How do you win at Abalone?
By pushing six of your opponent's marbles off the board. Each player has fourteen: you can therefore lose five and still win.
Rules on video
Videos in French, hosted on YouTube.