Components

• 48 game pieces (two 24-piece sets of orange and green)
• Game board
• 5 Mini-Game Mats (double-sided)
• Rulebook

Note: Blokus JuniorTM uses a simplified assortment of classic Blokus shapes to make it easier for kids to play! (See Figure 1).

Each 24-piece set includes:

• 2 one-square pieces
• 2 two-square pieces
• 4 three-square pieces
• 10 four-square pieces
• 6 five-square pieces

Object of the Game

It's simple! Just try to fit as many of your pieces on the board as you can.

Game Play

1. Each player chooses a color and takes that set of 24 pieces.

2. Decide who will go first. Player 1 places one of their pieces on either of the two starting points - starting points are marked with a circle. Player 2 places one of their pieces on the other starting point. (See Figures 2 and 3)

   
   
   

3. Players take turns laying down one piece at a time. Each new piece must touch at least one other piece of the same color, but only at the corners. Pieces of the same color can never touch along a side. (See Figure 4)

   
   
   

   There are no restrictions on how different-colored pieces can touch one another. (see Figure 5)

   
   
   

   Once a game piece has been placed on the board, it cannot be moved.

4. Whenever a player is unable to place a piece on the board, that player must pass their turn.

5. The game ends when neither player can place any more pieces.

End of the Game

Once the game ends, players count the number of squares in their remaining pieces. The player with the lowest number of squares wins!

Figure 6 shows an example of a completed game.

• The green player placed all of their green pieces on the board. Number of Remaining Squares: 0

• The orange player could not place 1 three-square piece and 3 five-square pieces. Number of Remaining Squares: 18

The green player has the lowest number of squares (0) - so green wins!

Helpful Hints

• Try to place your largest pieces on the board at the beginning of the game. If you save them until the end, there might not be enough space for them.

• Don't let the other player box you in. Always try to keep some open corners where you can play your pieces.

• Keep your eyes on the other player's unplayed pieces. If you can figure out where they will play next, you can try to block them.

Mini-games

For a little extra training in Blokus basics, try my 10 Mini-Games! Each of these single-player puzzles will teach you to think ahead when you play your pieces.

Each Mini-Game sheet is numbered from 1 to 10, and they gradually increase in difficulty. Start with Mini-Game 1.

At the bottom of each sheet, I'll point out the green pieces you're allowed to use for that puzzle. Gather those pieces. The puzzle itself shows 2 or 3 green pieces separated by orange pieces.

Following standard Blokus rules (same-colored pieces can only touch at the corners), position your green pieces so that they connect each green piece pictured in the puzzle. You must use all of the green pieces I point out for you.

When you finish, move on to the next Mini-Game until you complete them all. Who knows, you may be able to find more than one way to solve them!

If you get stuck, a solution for each Mini-Game appears here.

Solutions

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