Pyramid of wooden blocks game. Board game leaning tower

How to win at Jenga?

per century computer games When children and adults do not get out of their gadgets, it becomes a complete revelation for many that in addition to many of the same type of online strategies and shooters, there is an equally attractive world of board games that can captivate people of any age and gender.

The most important and most valuable thing that board games can give is the communication that people are deprived of by their own smartphones.

We can say with confidence that board games like Monopoly or Mafia can make you put your phones away and forget about them for long hours, especially if there is a cheerful company nearby!

In my opinion, perhaps the most provocative and absorbing game is the one that received recent times widely known, the game Jenga. If someone is not in the know yet, then Jenga is a set of blocks that fold into a tower. Once, the seven-year-old daughter of our friends was presented with Jenga as a gift. At first, the child was not particularly happy with her, because he did not understand what to do with her. Adults came to help, and it was almost impossible to tear them away from the construction of the tower. Everyone was waiting for their turn to try their luck in building a "skyscraper" out of wooden blocks.

A bit of history

Jenga - board game, unusual name which in Swahili means "to build". The idea for the game comes from Leslie Scott, a British game designer of Tanzanian origin. As a child, she loved to collect pyramids from wooden cubes, which probably prompted her to create Jenga. The first batches of the game hit the shelves in London in 1983, and subsequently the rights to it were acquired by Hasbro.

The game gained wide popularity due to the very simple rules games that are understandable to both adults and children. Folding the "floors" of the tower, three blocks in each, you need to fold the tower, then you need to shift the bars from the lower floors to the upper ones so that the tower does not fall. The loser is the one whose tower falls.

Way to victory

It would seem that everything is simple in this game, but even here there are tricks and ways to win. And here we would like to offer you our strategy.

1. Take your time!

Don't push yourself. Leslie Scott gives the following recommendation: “If you rush into Jenga, you will lose more than you will gain. Feel each brick and start with those that are easy to pull out. Leave the more immovable bars for later, when the weight of the tower is redistributed and they can be easily removed.

2. No strategy
Forget about any strategy, just don't waste time on it. Why? Because each block is at least a little, but different in weight and size from the rest, so all the towers that you will collect before the start of the game will be different.

3. Higher is not better
Many try to build the highest possible tower. Therein lies the error. The higher the tower, the more unstable it is.

4. Be nimble
The rules state that you can only use one hand when pulling the bars out of the tower. But the hands get tired in tension, which can adversely affect the result. But the rules say nothing about the fact that hands cannot be changed. Also, nowhere is it said that you cannot balance the tower with your shoulder, using your hand as a brace.

5. Manage the tower

If it seems to you that there are no more available bricks left, it is quite possible to make them as such. How? For example, if the central block on the “floor” was removed, and two side blocks remained, pinch them from one edge (making them a diagonal in a square), and then remove one of them.

6. Distribute the load favorably
Placing blocks on top of a tower can give you an advantage over your opponent. You can make it harder for your opponent by stacking the bars on only one side. But be careful, if your opponent copes with your trap, you can already get into a "shaky" situation.

From my own experience, I can say that the biggest difficulty in the game was to cope with laughter, which in most cases was the reason for the loss.

You can buy in our store and try to implement the success strategy in the game with your friends. Believe me good mood you are guaranteed!

Board game"Jenga" ("Tower") and its varieties

History of appearance

The familiar "Jenga" was coined by British board game designer Leslie Scott three decades ago. According to the author, it was created in the image and likeness of the game, behind which the whole Scott couple spent evenings in the distant seventies. Only then, instead of oblong wooden blocks, elements of the Takoradi children's designer, brought from Ghana, were used. Based on the same African fun, another game was created called Ta-Ka-Radi (Ta-Ka-Radi), very similar to Jenga. It appeared on the American market a few years earlier, but did not find such deafening popularity as Jenga.

The game has quite exotic name. "Jenga" is a Swahili word meaning "to build". The author of the game, Leslie Scott, is of British origin, but she was born in Tanzania and spent her entire childhood in African countries. Therefore, Leslie decided to pay tribute to her second native language, christening her new offspring with such an unusual name for Europeans.

Kit contents

The original "Jenga" consists of 54 oblong wooden blocks. The surface of each bar is carefully sanded, but not varnished or painted. This increases friction between structural elements and prevents the tower from crumbling. The dimensions of the block of the classic version of the game are 1.5x2.5x7.5 cm.

With the growing popularity of Jenga, a lot of its “remakes” appeared on the market, the dimensions of the elements of which may differ from the progenitor, but the aspect ratio of the blocks is mostly preserved.

"Ta-Ka-Radi" vs. "Jenga"

The two games are very similar but have some significant differences. Ta-Ka-Radi uses only 51 rectangular blocks. As a result, the original tower is one floor lower than in Jenga, but the height of the structure is greater. The most important difference is how to place the bars. In "Ta-Ka-Radi" blocks are installed on the short side of the section with significant gaps between the elements of the same row. At the same time, in "Jenga" the bars lie close to each other on the long side of the section.

If "Jenga" is supplied in paper packaging, then "Ta-Ka-Radi" is sold in a fabric bag made of natural cloth with a print. The manufacturer also offers a choice of several types of fabrics from which the bag can be made, all colors in the spirit of Africa.

Preparing for the game

Before the start of the round, it is necessary to level the original tower. You can level it using the box from the game itself. Some sets of "Jenga" come with a special plastic corner, which acts as a kind of level. Initially, our building has 18 "floors" of 3 blocks each. The bars are laid on the long side. All elements must fit snugly together. In this case, the bars of each subsequent row are perpendicular to the blocks of the previous one.

Rules and gameplay

Jenga is designed for two or more players. The principles of the game are very simple: each participant pulls out one block from an already standing structure and lays it perpendicular to the previous row. At the same time, the “penthouse” tier preceding the unfinished one remains inviolable. Also, you can not start stacking blocks in new level, leaving the top "floor" unfinished.

You can pull the block out of the tower with only one hand. Beforehand, it is allowed to touch the elements and tap the ends of the bars, checking which of them is the most pliable. If at the same time something has moved, then the player must return all the affected blocks to their original position before the end of their turn.

All participants take turns doing their moves. The turn ends when the next player touches the tower or ten seconds after placing the pulled block.

The nature of the game

The game trains fine motor skills and analytical skills. At the same time, it does not require the participants to develop a strategy and mental stress, so the gameplay is a relaxed fun pastime.

Varieties of the game

There are a great many varieties of Jenga on the modern board game market: from small portable versions with tiny bars to huge copies that perform more of an advertising role than serving their intended purpose. Such a "tower boom" among the manufacturers of "board games" was undoubtedly due to the popularity that the game found among fans of such fun. According to the creator of the classic version of Jenga herself, about 50 million copies have been sold worldwide. original game.

"Jenga: Drop and Go" (Throw "n Go Jenga)- a game resulting from the merger of the good old "Jenga" and gaming dice. The elements of the classic set are colored in three various colors. The bones are marked with colors and words that say exactly where the block should be pulled out from (middle, top, bottom of the tower), as well as exactly how many blocks should be pulled out in one move. For example, after the first roll, you get the words "any two" on the top of the die. This means that you will have to "fight" with two bars, and not with one.

Throw the bone again, and the crimson face with the word “beginning” turns out to be the top, which means that the first element is crimson, and it is located at the base of the structure. Then you throw a bone and get the word "middle" on a black background - you pull out a black bar from the middle of the tower.

"Jenga: Truth or Dare" (Jenga Truth or Dare). The set consists of the usual number of blocks, two-thirds of which are colored orange and purple (colors may vary in different editions of the game). Orange bars are desires, purple bars are questions. In this case, one third of the elements of the game remains unpainted. It is on these pristine bars that players are invited to write their own desires or questions. Then the game gets individual characteristics and becomes one of a kind. In general, this variation is quite fun and aims to get the participants talking, and the gameplay is generously filled with fiction and eccentricity. Due to its nature, it is designed for players over 12 years old. Nevertheless, many rightly point out that this variety of "Jengi" is not suitable for children. The desires and questions proposed by the creators cannot be called crystal innocent. On the one hand, you may only need to sing a song or characterize one of the participants and the game (why not?). There are also more amusing statements, such as "sensual dance with a mop" and other similar inventions. Questions - from the category of tricky with a touch of the now popular "American humor".

More suitable for children Jenga Girl Talk Edition- a much more harmless edition of the game. The blocks are colored in pink and crimson and filled with questions just like in the previous version. This could once be seen in children's questionnaires, which were then filled in by friends and classmates. Here you will find the traditional questions: “What is your most cherished desire?” or the more modern "Name your favorite website."

"Jenga: Extreme" (Jenga Extreme). The elements of the game are not a rectangular parallelepiped, but a parallelogram. This adds a certain extreme to the gameplay and makes it possible to build tilted towers of completely bizarre shapes.

"Jenga: Las Vegas Casino" (Las Vegas Casino Jenga)- a completely unexpected combination of two completely different fun: "Jengi" and roulette! During the formation of the tower, players make bets. The set consists of 54 numbered red and black blocks, a betting board and 75 chips. Recommended for players aged 18 and over.

Jenga XXL- an enlarged version of the classic Jenga (although there are also much larger copies of the game). The size of each bar is about 45x22.5x7.5 cm. The kit comes with 50 elements (48 directly for the game and 2 "in reserve"). All blocks are made not of polished wood, but of painted plywood, so that during the fall the structure will not knock the players to death. The original tower has a height of 120 cm and can theoretically grow up to three and a half meters during the game! This variant of Jenga is especially good for outdoor play, and it goes great as a fun accompaniment to barbecues.

We briefly talked about only some varieties of this simple board game. There are also special editions. special attention deserves "Jenga: The Nightmare Before Christmas" (Jenga Nigthmare before Christmas)- a game designed in the spirit of a popular cartoon that appeared on the screens more than twenty years ago. The blocks are colored black, purple and orange. Each of them has images of ghosts, funny, sad, cunning Jack Skelington mines and, of course, the name of the cartoon with its signature "Halloween" font.

In addition, there are many board games created based on Jenga. In some, the rules of the original game are preserved, but the elements themselves are significantly modified. In particular, the snow-white set looks very interesting. Jenga Stack The Bones with blocks in the form of bones and a skull crowning the tower. Such a set can become not only a favorite game, but also original decoration interior, which will also serve as a wonderful gift for lovers of various outlandish things. There are also similar sets on a more peaceful theme: with cats, bunnies, carrots, and so on.

As you can see, the good old "Jenga" does not stand still, but develops in accordance with the desires of modern users. The market is full of various options for our long-loved board game, among which you are sure to find the best "Tower" for yourself.

So simple and so interesting - what is the name of the game where they pull out the bars from the built tower? What was it washed away and what rules are relevant? Who and why invented it? What are the sticks for the game made of and how to build a tower?

So funny at the same time interesting game, is called - Jenga. The main essence of the lesson: the phased destruction of the tower, by pulling out the "bricks" from it. The defining moment - gradually the tower becomes an unstable structure and every move is risky. On whose turn the arable land fell apart, then he lost.

The right kit for the Jenga game: what does the kit consist of

It would seem that wooden blocks and a flat place to build a pyramid are all that is required for Jenga. In fact, everything is somewhat more complicated.

• There must be 54 wooden blocks in the set. More or less is not allowed;
• The length of each block should be three times its width;
• The height of the bar is half its width;
• It is not allowed to build a tower from plastic "bricks". Right stuff- wood. It has an optimal weight and creates the necessary friction when pulling out the bars.

Building the Jenga Tower

In addition to a standardized set, for a fair game, you must follow the rules, starting from the construction of the tower.

Jenga bars are laid out next to each other in three pieces. The layer laid on top must lie perpendicular to the lower "floor".

The tower must be level with the chests of the players, with no restrictions on any player's approach. The game can be played by 2-4 people.

Jenga game rules

What is the name of the game where the bars are pulled out - do you know what the rules of this game are?

• The most important rule, which is most often not observed in companies, is to allow the removal of the bar with both hands. The original rules allow the game to be played with only one hand. Otherwise, it will lose all meaning;
• The one who built the tower goes first;
• After each move, a block is placed on top of the entire tower;
• It is forbidden to pull out sticks in the top three layers;
• The game continues until the complete or partial destruction of the tower. An exception is the fall of a bar that was pulled out by the player in the last turn.

Who and why invented the Jenga game: pulling bars out of the tower

This funny game was invented by Leslie Scott, the founder of the largest toy factory in the UK. This idea came to her mind at a young age. Leslie had best friend suffering from partial damage to the central nervous system. The disease provoked constant hand shaking. Leslie Scott wanted to create something that, in a playful way, could train and develop the motor skills of a sick friend.
By the way, and at the moment, many doctors, educators and parents use the Jenga game as a development of motor skills in children over 4 years old.

Varieties of the game Jenga

As in any business, there is no limit to perfection. Modern Jenga sets add some subtleties to make the game even more fun and interesting. For example, Jenga Fant is now gaining popularity - a comical task is written on the bar, which must be completed by the one who pulled it out.

Funny, right? But just recently, we didn’t even know the name of the game where wooden blocks are pulled out of the tower. Now, in addition to the real version of the game, electronic games are also being created that work on the basis of ordinary smartphones.

If you want to find out how dexterous and have a sense of balance you are, then the Jenga Tower game is exactly what you need. If you are smart, you have well-developed manual dexterity, masterfully own a sense of balance, then it is for you. This game will captivate not only children, but also adults, be careful and attentive, and then you can build a tower twice as high as the original one.

Assemble the wooden block tower by removing the blocks from the lower "floors" and building the tower from above. The number of players is not limited, as well as their age.

Jenga tower rules

1. Gather the players and select a "master" builder. He must build a tower of 18 floors. Lay out all the bars in front of you and start assembling the tower. The first floor consists of three blocks lying closely parallel to each other. Subsequent floors consist of three bars lying perpendicular to the existing ones. And so all the bars are laid out on top of each other.
2. Level the tower so that Jenga's walls are level and the tower stands on its own.
3. The one who built the tower goes first. He takes one block from any floor and puts it on the top row. The player following him takes out another block and puts it next to the block of the previous player. Attention: you can get the bars with only one hand. The bars can be touched to find one that moves freely and is easy to remove.
4. Bars from the top row cannot be taken. A row is considered complete when there are three bars.
5. The game continues until the tower collapses. The tower is considered to have fallen if any block has fallen, except for the one that the player is holding in his hand. The player who laid down his block last won, and the structure stood. If desired, the game can be continued if only a few blocks have fallen.

So, the basic rules are clear. But what if you have mastered this game and it doesn't seem so interesting anymore?

Then you can turn the Jenga tower. Write a task on each bar on the side and each player who gets it will have to complete it. Or you can number the bars according to the numbers on the dice and remove from the tower only the bar whose number fell on the die.

And these are just the simplest options. The rules of the game are only limited by your imagination. Get together with family or friends and play Jenga Falling Tower.

The word "jenga" is an imperative from "kujenga", which means "to build" in Swahili. What is being built in this game? Tower! Until she falls...

It would seem, what kind of game can be with wooden blocks? Well, build something using it as a constructor, that's about it. However, the developer of the game - Leslie Scott - approached the issue of construction from a completely different angle. Building in Jenga will have to be done wisely. The very idea of ​​the game originated in the Leslie family in the early 1970s, and initially it used ordinary children's wooden blocks. Then, special game blocks were made: each block is three times its width long, and its height is about half its width.

To reveal the intrigue of the tower, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of the game themselves. So, 54 wooden blocks participate in the game. To start the game, you need to build a tower with a height of 18 floors. Each floor consists of three blocks laid close and parallel to each other. The blocks of each next floor are placed perpendicular to the blocks of the previous floor.

After the tower is built, the game begins. The players have the right to move. The one who built the tower goes first. A turn in "Jenga" consists of pulling one block from any level (except the one directly below the unfinished top) of the tower. The pulled block must be placed at the top of the tower so that it can be completed (you cannot complete the floors under the unfinished top level). Only one hand is allowed to remove the block; the second hand can also be used, but you can only touch the tower with one hand at a time. Blocks can be pushed to find the one that sits the most freely. Any moved block can be left in place and not continue to get it if this will lead to the fall of the tower. The game has plenty of momentum: the turn ends when the next player touches the tower, or when 10 seconds have passed, whichever happens first.

Using the tower from this game in US schools, experiments are being conducted in physics classes.

The end of the game marks the fall of the tower, that is, the fall of any block other than the one that the player is currently trying to place on top of the tower. The loser is the one whose move caused the collapse of the tower. However, if only a few blocks have fallen, then the players can continue the game if they wish. Be sure the first time your tower will fall very quickly.

The rules seem simple, but it's not for nothing that the game has spread throughout the world over more than 30 years of its existence and has won thousands of fans. Because "Jenga" is a game of manual dexterity, ingenuity and a sense of balance. Children can also build a tower. This game is especially useful for them, since motor skills are involved, the ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships develops, perseverance and accuracy are instilled. You can also play in teams, which will help unite an unfamiliar company.

Experienced players have developed more than one system: which bars, in what sequence, to pull out in order to win. But the general pattern is the same: it is better to pull out the blocks along the entire height of the tower, without concentrating on one of the parts.

Despite her British citizenship, Leslie Scott was born in East Africa and speaks both English and Swahili. Therefore, she gave her game such a catchy, unusual name for the ear.

In addition to the classic version, players have come up with many more additional "chips" to diversify and complicate the game. Those who have reached enchanting heights in the construction of the tower write numbers on the side faces, take a dice and move only the bar whose number fell on the dice. Others, for the sake of fun, depict tasks on the verges (such as playing forfeits), for example, “Tell a joke”, “Depict a sad rabbit”. The player, moving any bar, is obliged to complete the task inscribed on it.

Of course, the producers, seeing such a hobby, did not bypass the game with various "replicas" and variations. So, there was "Jenga" with multi-colored blocks, a game with an increased number of blocks, a game in which the blocks are increased many times over (the tower reaches one and a half meters!), And, of course, application games for all kinds of mobile devices: there the blocks are pulled out by one finger movement.

The article was prepared based on materials