Motif 2023

Two players, three sides. Six pawns, no dice. Are you ready to turn fate into your favor?

Motif is a game with one objective: occupy more squares than your opponent. It is a head-to-head board game comprised of simple rules and brilliant tactics.

Players attempt to control the largest area on a 5 x 5 grid board using zone of control tactics. Each piece added to the board affects all the other pieces of the same color so careful placement is the key to winning the most squares and the game.

Motif always begins with an empty board — no pawns, all white squares.

On each turn:

Add a new pawn to any square that is reachable by your existing pawns if any. Move your other pawns on the board. Relocate all of them if possible. Pawns can freely maneuver around other pawns in complicated trails. Diagonals and jumps are prohibited. Turn squares into the same color as the pawn that lands on it. Pawns always leave a mark. Play until all the squares are occupied.

The player with the most squares in their color wins.

—description from publisher