Lino

About this board game

Lino is a two-player abstract game from 2010 that plays in about 20 minutes. Players take turns placing one stone on any free tile of the playing field, building their own positions while looking for opportunities to score.

During the game, players gain points whenever their placement completes a row. Every move can therefore change the scoring situation, as a newly placed stone may finish a row and award points immediately.

When the playing field is full, the end-game scoring begins. Players receive additional points for each row containing four or more stones of their own colour. The player with the most points at the end wins.

• For 2 players
• Approximately 20 minutes of play
• Place stones on free tiles
• Score during the game by completing rows
• Score at the end for rows of four or more stones in your colour

Lino combines immediate scoring with a final assessment of the rows each player has created. Players must decide where each stone can contribute most, balancing the chance to complete a row now with the value of forming longer rows for the final score.

For experienced players, Lino also includes a bonus-point variant. This provides an additional way to play while retaining the central focus on placing stones, completing rows, and finishing with the highest score.