Bōku is an

abstract strategy Abstract strategy games admit a number of definitions which distinguish these from strategy games in general, mostly involving no or minimal narrative theme, outcomes determined only by player choice (with no randomness), and perfect information ...

board game Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well. Many board games feature a ...

Boku at

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retrieved 29 April 2011 played with marbles on a perforated hexagonal board with 80 spaces. The object of the game is to arrange five marbles in a row. The game has also been sold under the name ''Bollox'', and later ''Bolix''Boku background http://boku.bandoodle.co.uk/story.php and won a Mensa Select award in 1999. Invented by Rob Nelson, the former

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left-handed pitcher and creator of

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bubblegum. The idea for the game came to Nelson in 1991 when he was in London pitching for the Enfield Spartans. Along with good friend and owner of the Spartans Malcolm Needs they developed and marketed the game. Distributed by the London Games Company in Europe and Cadaco Toys in North America, for a time it enjoyed the position of being the best selling two player strategy games in both

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and

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. The game was awarded a

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Gold Star.

Rules

''Bōku'' belongs to the class of connection games ("n-in-a-row" games) similar to

Gomoku ''Gomoku'', also called ''Five in a Row'', is an abstract strategy board game. It is traditionally played with Go pieces (black and white stones) on a Go board. It is played using a 15×15 board while in the past a 19×19 board was standard. Be ...

or '' Connect Four''. It has two main rules: * the game is won by putting five marbles into a row * if a player traps two of his opponent's marbles between two of his own, he may remove one of the sandwiched marbles (and the opponent may not put a marble back into the same place with his next move).Rules of Bok

Retrieved 29 April 2011

World championships

The official Boku world championships have been held as part of the

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since 2000Mind Sports Olympiad Boku Results http://www.boardability.com/result.php?id=boku 06 September 2010 in England and David M. Pearce (England) has been the champion five times. Andres Kuusk (Estonia) has won the title four times. The 2005 ''Bōku'' World Champion was Joey Ho from London, who was aged 17 when he claimed the title after defeating reigning champion David Pearce.