Black Elephant

About this board game

Black Elephant is a two-player strategy game designed for a play time of around 30 minutes. Released in 2004, it challenges players to carefully manage a herd of 10 working elephants across a working area.

The elephants’ job is to collect tree trunks. Moving them into position requires care, as rival elephants may try to snatch trunks away or send elephants down the wrong path. Every movement matters as the herd works toward its task.

Two elephants in the herd have a special designation: Black Elephants. These distinctive pieces add important tactical possibilities to the game. They can block spaces, helping control movement through the working area, and they can also capture rival elephants.

• Designed for exactly 2 players
• Approximately 30 minutes of play time
• A herd of 10 working elephants
• Tree-trunk collection and careful movement
• Black Elephants that block spaces and capture rival elephants

This combination of trunk collection, movement, obstruction, and capture gives Black Elephant its heavyweight strategic character. Players must keep the herd in check while protecting their progress from opposing elephants and making effective use of the two Black Elephants.

Black Elephant was invented by Frank Czarnetzki, who is also known for illustrating the Cwali games Logistico and Subulata under the name of Czarne. For players looking for a focused two-player game built around elephants, tree trunks, and positional disruption, it offers a compact strategic contest.