Contention

Contention is an abstract strategy game for two centering around the theme of containment and usurpation. The players work in tandem to encircle a rapidly growing mass, while at the same time planning their moves to force their opponent into a bad position. Players take turns placing one of their color stones in any empty space on the board, followed by placing one of the black colored stones in any empty space directly adjacent to another black stone. The first player who is unable to place a black stone is the winner, regardless of whether or not they are able to place one of their color stones. Great fun, quick playtime (10-15 minutes at the absolute maximum, usually around 3-5 minutes), and challenging, subtle strategies. Contention is available for free, as a complete print-and-play package including rules, pieces, and board in a single PDF.