Onitama

Chess with only five moves on the table, and your opponent gets the one you just used.

A two-player abstract on a five-by-five board. Each player holds two move cards; a fifth sits to the side. Play a card to move a pawn, then hand that card to your opponent and take the spare. Every move you make arms the person across from you with exactly what you just did.

That single rule does all the work. There is no hidden information and no luck once the cards are dealt, just the constant problem of wanting to make a move you cannot afford to give away. Sixteen cards ship in the box and only five are in play, so no two games open the same way. Fifteen minutes.

Perfect for: Two players who want something with the weight of chess and none of the memorisation.

2 players | 15 minutes | Age 14+