Abalone feels, to me, like arm wrestling in slow motion, and I mean that as the highest praise. It looks like an innocent handful of marbles on a hexagonal board, and then you settle in and realize you are leaning into every move, jaw set, trying to out muscle a friend one patient shove at a time. Two players, a simple goal: push six of your opponent’s marbles off the edge.

On your turn you move a marble, or better yet a line of two or three of your own, in a single direction. The magic is in pushing. If your line outnumbers the opposing marbles directly in its path, you can shove them along, and eventually right off the board. So the whole game becomes a contest of formation and force, keeping your marbles clumped and powerful while probing for a spot where you outnumber your rival and can start pushing.

The tension is wonderfully physical. You are constantly building little phalanxes, defending your edges, and trying to break up your opponent’s clusters before they break up yours. Spread out and you are weak everywhere; bunch up and you might get outmaneuvered, so the balance between offense and defense is everything.

It teaches in two minutes, the marbles feel great in the hand, and a game has the quiet, mounting pressure of any good abstract. There is no luck to blame, just you and the shape of the board. For a tactile, approachable two player abstract with real bite, Abalone is a keeper.

Are you a tight defensive turtle or a relentless pusher? Tell me below, and tell me about the marble you knocked off to win.

If you decide to purchase this game, consider using our affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3QhLmr6