Lines of Action
Join all your pieces into one group to win.
How to play Lines of Action
Lines of Action is a classic abstract strategy game by Claude Soucie, made famous by the game designer Sid Sackson in 1969. It is played on an 8×8 board. Black has 12 pieces on the top and bottom rows, and White has 12 pieces on the left and right edges. Black moves first.
Goal
Bring all of your pieces together into one connected group. Pieces are connected when they touch side by side or corner to corner. Captured pieces do not count, so the fewer pieces you have, the easier they are to join.
Turn by turn
- Pick a line. A piece moves in a straight line: across, up and down, or diagonally, in any of the eight directions.
- Count the pieces. The piece must move exactly as many squares as there are pieces on that whole line, counting both colours and the moving piece itself. When you tap a piece, the game shows every square it can reach.
- Jumping. A piece may jump over its own pieces, but it may never jump over an enemy piece.
- Capturing. A piece may land on an enemy piece to capture it. It may not land on one of its own pieces.
End of the game
The game ends as soon as one player has all their pieces in a single group. If one move connects the groups of both players at once, the player who made the move wins. A player who is down to one piece is connected and wins. If the same position appears three times, the game is a draw. In the extremely rare case that a player cannot move at all, that player loses.
Your status chip shows how many separate groups you still have. Try it against the computer, then compare it with the race game Breakthrough.
Strategy tips
- Head for the centre. Pieces in the middle can join a group from every side. Pieces stuck on the edge are slow to bring home.
- Think about groups, not captures. Taking a piece can help your opponent, because they have one piece fewer to connect. Capture only when it breaks their shape or blocks a link.
- Block with your own men. An enemy piece cannot jump over yours. A well-placed piece can cut a whole line in two.
- Watch the line counts. Every move changes how far pieces can travel on that row, column and diagonals. A move can open or close a door for the other player.
- Look one move ahead for the finish. Before each move, check if your opponent can connect everything next turn. If so, stop it first.
Lines of Action FAQ
Do my own pieces count when I count the line?
Yes. You count every piece on the full line, both colours, including the piece you move. That number is exactly how far the piece travels.
Can I jump over enemy pieces?
No. You may jump over your own pieces but never over an enemy piece. You can capture an enemy piece by landing on it.
What happens if both players are connected after one move?
In these rules the player who made the move wins. Some clubs call this a draw, but most online play gives it to the mover.
How strong is the computer?
Easy often makes random moves. Medium looks a few moves ahead. Hard searches deeply for about a second and is hard to beat.
