Kamon is a two-player abstract strategy game played on a hexagonal grid of 37 spaces. Players place tokens with six different colors and six different symbols, creating a unique board each game. On each turn, a player must place their piece on a token that matches either the color or symbol of the previously played token. The goal is to connect two opposite edges of the board with your color, create a loop, or force your opponent into an impossible move.
Components
Hexagonal board with 37 hex spaces
36 tokens (6 colors x 6 symbols, each combination appearing once)
1 blank token
Black hexagonal pieces (for one player)
White hexagonal pieces (for one player)
1 golden hexagon marker
Setup
Shuffle all 37 tokens (36 printed + 1 blank) and randomly place one token face-up on each hex space of the board.
Decide which player plays black and which plays white.
The black player goes first.
Turn Structure
Players alternate turns. On your turn:
Place one of your colored hexagons on any token that matches either the color or the symbol of the token your opponent just played on.
Place the golden hexagon on top of your piece as a reminder of the constraint for the next player.
Actions
Placement
You must place your piece on a token that shares either the same color or the same symbol as the token that was just covered by your opponent’s last move.
There may be multiple valid placement options each turn.
The blank token acts as a wild – it can always be played on and always matches.
First Move
The black player’s first move has no constraint – they may place on any token along the edge of the board (except corners).
Scoring / Victory Conditions
There are three ways to win:
Edge Connection: Be the first to create an unbroken chain of your hexagons connecting two edges of the board that share the same color border.
Loop: Create a closed loop (cycle) with your hexagons.
Forced Pass: Force your opponent into a position where they have no legal placement – they cannot find any uncovered token matching the required color or symbol.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
The board is randomized each game, so the strategic landscape is always different.
The golden hexagon serves as a memory aid to track which token was last played on.
Corner hexes are not valid for the first move.
The blank token is always a valid target and always creates a wild constraint for the next player.
Creating a connection requires an unbroken path of your hexagons from one colored edge to the matching colored edge on the opposite side.