page_title: Tantrix
section_title: Gameplay
hierarchical_section_title: Tantrix / Gameplay
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Tantrix-Spielerin auf den Internationalen Spieltagen 2008 in Essen English: Tantrix player at the Spiel 2008 in Essen
context_page_description: Tantrix is a hexagonal tile-based abstract game invented by Mike McManaway from New Zealand. Each of the 56 different tiles in the set contains three lines, going from one edge of the tile to another. No two lines on a tile have the same colour. There are four colours in the set: red, yellow, blue, and green. No two tiles are identical, and each is individually numbered from 1 through 56.
context_section_description: In the multiplayer version of the game, each player chooses a colour, so there are between two and four players.  Each draws one tile from the bag, and the person who draws the highest number goes first.
  Each player then takes five more tiles from the bag, and places all six tiles face up in front of them. The first person plays one tile, usually with their colour on it. Play then rotates clockwise. After playing a tile, each player takes a replacement tile from the bag, so that they always have six in front of them. Tiles played must match the colour of the edges adjoining it.
  When three tiles surround an empty space so that it is effectively half covered this is called a forced space. If the person whose turn it is has a tile that fills that space they must play it. The player repeats this process until there are no more forced spaces that they can fill, at which stage they make a free move, where they can play any tile as long as they don't breach the three restriction rules given below.  Once they have had a free move, they must then fill any more forced spaces that they can. Thus one player's turn can consist of several moves. 
  The three restriction rules are:
  You cannot create a forced space with the same colour leading into it three times.
  You cannot create a four-sided forced space.
  You cannot play along an edge that, when forced spaces are filled, will create a four-sided forced space.
  Once there are no tiles left in the bag, the three restriction rules do not apply.
  The aim of the game is to get the longest line or loop in your colour.  Each tile in a line counts as one point, and in a loop is two points.  Only the highest-scoring line or loop counts.
caption: Playing Tantrix
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