Abalone is one of our favorite two-player strategy games. The object is simple: push six of your opponent's marbles off the board before he or she does the same thing to you. The board is hexagonal, with divots in which the marbles rest, and a track around the edge to catch them as they are pushed off. Connecting the divots are shallow grooves; players push their marbles from divot to divot along these grooves. Marbles make a satisfying clunk as they land in divots. On his turn, a player may push up to three marbles together a single space in any of six directions. These marbles can be used to push your opponent's marbles as well, as long as you "outweigh" them in the direction you're moving. (i.e., three can push two, two can push one, or three can push one. Three can't push three, because you don't outnumber them.)

If your movement pushes an opponent's marble off the board, it is considered out of play and counts toward your goal of six. Beware overconfidence, though. Since marbles may move in six different directions around the board, it's easy to overlook weak spots in your defense! Cutting your opponent's marbles from the herd may leave you open to attack as well. A game averages about 30 minutes; the rules are simple enough that children can learn to play easily (in fact, I have been severely drubbed by a few eight-year-olds in my years of teaching this game in the store!) The board is heavy-duty black plastic, and the marbles are glass. Due to the size of the marbles (1" diameter) we do not recommend this game for children under 3.