Tak: A Beautiful Game

Tak is a two-player abstract strategy game dreamed up by Pat Rothfuss in "The Wise Man's Fear" and made reality by James Ernest. In Tak, players attempt to make a road of their pieces connecting two opposite sides of the board.

The game board is a single 10" piece, with a full-color linen finish wrapper, and art on both sides by Echo Chernik. The "Court-style" side features elegant Selas Flowers on a hybrid board, while the "Tavern-style" side is a simpler grid showcasing 50 years of tavern wear and tear.

"My next several hours were spent learning how to play Tak. Even if I had not been nearly mad with idleness, I would have enjoyed it. Tak is the best sort of game: simple in its rules, complex in its strategy. Bredon beat me handily in all five games we played, but I am proud to say that he never beat me the same way twice." -Kvothe

To win a game of TAK, a player must be the first to create a “road” of stones connecting opposite sides of the board. Stones can be laid flat or stood on end. When played flat, they are called “flat stones.” In this orientation, other stones can be stacked on them. If they are stood on end, they are called “standing stones” or “walls.” Nothing can be stacked atop a standing stone, but these do not count as part of a player’s road.

Depending on the size of the game, players may also have capstones, which can can come in many decorative shapes. Capstones serve as both a flat stone and a wall, and can also flatten standing walls.

The Classic Set contains: 62 wooden pieces, a full-sized double-sided 6x6 hybrid game board (featuring diamonds and squares), and game rules.