Classic Games On-Line! Blokus and Scattergories

BLOKUS

Blokus is a strategy game where you play against 3 other players. The object of the game is to place a maximum of your 21 pieces on the board. The more pieces you place on the board, the higher your score will be. 
But, of course, it is not that simple. There are only certain ways you can put your pieces on the board. Play starts with the blue player and proceeds to yellow, red, then green. The first piece of each player must be placed in one of the four corners starting in the upper left with blue and going clockwise around the board. The player may place any piece he chooses in the corner spot. Play then continues with blue, yellow, red, and green each placing a piece, in turn until one can no longer place a piece on the board.

After the first piece is placed, each piece must be placed so that the pieces of the same color touch only at the corners. Pieces must never come in contact with the sides of a piece that is the same color. Different colors may play against your color thus blocking your play. Some strategic moves to help you win the game are as follows.

First of all, always try to keep your pieces moving toward the center of the board. If you keep to your corner, you will quickly be blocked. Also, you will want to try to place your largest (5 square) pieces at the beginning of the game. As play continues, there is less and less space thus it is harder to place the larger pieces. In addition, you will always want to keep the maximum number of corners open so that you will have maximum play space available. Try to use the different shapes to create more open play space on the board for yourself.


SACTTERGORIES

This is a great group word game of quick thinking and originality. Just make a list of words falling under various categories that all begin with the same letter.

Sound easy?

There is a time limit, and you have to think of things nobody else does. So if your category is "colors" and the letter is "P," you'd better think of something other than pink. Try taking a chance on polar bear white or pale red - but only if you don't think of peach, pigment, purple or puce.