Breakthrough is an abstract strategy board game invented by Dan Troyka in 2000 and made available as a Zillions of Games file (ZRF). At this time it was played on a 7x7 board. It won the 2001 8x8 Game Design Competition, even though the game is trivially extendable to larger board sizes. It has some similarity to checkers, but the strategy is completely different.

Rules

The board is initially set up as shown on the right.

To play the game on a different-sized board, just fill the two front and two back rows with pieces; the board need not be square.

Choose a player to go first; play then alternates, with each player moving one piece per turn.

The rules are as follows:

• A piece may move one space straight or diagonally forward if the target square is empty. In the diagram on the right, the white piece on c5 can move into any of the marked squares.

• A piece may move into a square containing an opponent's piece if and only if that square is one step diagonally forward. The opponent's piece is removed and the player's piece replaces it. For example, the black piece can capture either the white piece e2 or the one on g2; it would replace them if it chose to capture. Note that capturing is not compulsory, nor is it "chained" as in checkers.

The first player to reach the opponent's home row — the one farthest from the player — is the winner. There are no draws.

References

• Handscomb, Kerry. "8x8 Game Design Competition: The Winning Game: Breakthrough ...and two other favorites." Abstract Games Magazine, Issue 7, Autumn 2001.

Play online

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Abstract strategy games