Overview
Abalone is a two-player abstract strategy game played on a hexagonal board with 14 marbles per player. Players take turns moving their marbles, attempting to push six of the opponent’s marbles off the board. The first player to push six opposing marbles into the outer rim wins.
Components
- 1 hexagonal game board with outer rim
- 14 black marbles
- 14 white marbles
Setup
Arrange the marbles in the standard starting formation (as shown in the rulebook diagram). Black makes the first move.
Turn Structure
On your turn, move either a single marble or a Column of marbles one space.
Actions
Moving a Single Marble
- Move one marble one space in any of the six directions on the hex board.
- Must move into a free (unoccupied) space, unless performing a Sumito push.
Moving a Column
- A Column consists of 2 or 3 marbles of the same color directly adjacent in a straight line.
- All marbles in a Column must move in the same direction.
- In-line move: The column advances forward into a free space along its axis.
- Side-step move: All marbles in the column move sideways into adjacent free spaces. A side-step cannot push any opposing marble.
Sumito (Pushing)
When your Column faces a lesser number of opponent marbles in line, you have a Sumito (advantage) and may push them:
| Your Column |
Can Push |
| 3 marbles |
1 opponent marble |
| 3 marbles |
2 opponent marbles |
| 2 marbles |
1 opponent marble |
Pushing rules:
- Opponent marbles must be pushed into an unoccupied space or off the board into the outer rim.
- Marbles pushed into the outer rim are permanently out of play.
- A single marble can never push an opposing marble.
- A side-stepping column cannot push any marble.
- Opponent marbles sandwiched between your own marbles cannot be pushed (no free space behind them).
- At most 3 friendly marbles can be moved per turn, so an opponent’s Column of 3 can never be pushed.
- A position of 4-on-3 or greater is not a Sumito.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The game ends as soon as a player has had 6 of their marbles pushed off the board. That player loses; their opponent wins.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
- Columns must be exactly 2 or 3 marbles; you cannot move 4+ marbles as a group.
- You cannot push your own marbles.
- Enemy marbles sandwiched between friendly marbles cannot be pushed because there is no free space for them.
- Columns separated by a gap cannot push (marbles must be directly adjacent).
- Abalone can be played with 3 or 4 players using additional colored marble sets (sold separately).
Player Reference
| Detail |
Value |
| Players |
2 |
| Marbles per player |
14 |
| Board |
Hexagonal, 61 spaces |
| Win condition |
Push 6 opponent marbles off the board |
| Max column size |
3 marbles |
| Push ratios |
3v1, 3v2, 2v1 |
| Move types |
In-line, Side-step, Sumito push |