Focus: How to play
Focus is an abstract strategy game for 2 to 4 players. Here are the complete rules; the game itself runs free in your browser, against friends at the same table, online by invite link, or against the computer.
Focus was designed by Sid Sackson (1920–2002), published in German by Parker in 1980 and named Spiel des Jahres 1981. This web version is a private homage – all credit for the game design belongs to Sid Sackson.
Goal
Restrict your opponents until, on their turn, they can neither move a piece nor enter a reserve. The last player able to act wins.
Moving
- Pieces stack into towers. A tower belongs to whoever's color is on top – only they may move it.
- Move the whole tower or just its top part: k pieces move exactly k squares, horizontally or vertically in a straight line, jumping over anything in between.
- A move may end on an empty square, a piece or a tower – they stack.
Towers & reserve
- Towers are capped at 5 pieces. Excess pieces come off the bottom: your own color → your reserve, opponent colors → captured for good.
- Instead of moving, you may place a reserve piece on any square – even on top of an opponent's tower.
Variants
- 3 players: the 13th piece is placed on an empty square as the first move.
- 4 players: free-for-all – or teams (Green+Yellow vs. Red+Blue); a partner's removed pieces go to their reserve.
- Fast game: win by captures (2p: 6 · 3p: 3 per opponent or 10 · 4p: 2 per opponent or 10).
- A player who cannot move (3/4 players) passes and stays in the game.