Magnet

About this board game

Magnet is a two-player abstract strategy game with a 30-minute playing time, in which each player tries to move their king to the middle of the board.

Each player controls 12 blocks. Eleven of these pieces can be promoted one, two, or three times, increasing their movement capability. The king cannot be promoted, creating an important challenge: promote too many of your other pieces and you may reveal which one is your king.

The game’s signature feature is the magnet, represented by a black pawn placed on a gridded point. It affects a player’s pieces along lines radiating from that point, moving them closer to the magnet. This unusual movement system can reshape the position of your pieces and bring them into contact with opposing forces.

• Abstract gameplay for exactly two players
• 12 blocks per player, including one unpromotable king
• Pieces can be promoted up to three times to increase movement capability
• A black-pawn magnet draws pieces closer along radiating lines
• Pieces can be captured and removed from the board

Use promotion carefully, protect the identity of your king, and look for opportunities to draw opposing pieces into capture. At the same time, work toward the central objective of bringing your king to the board’s middle.

Released in 2008, Magnet was named the 2010 Runner Up Abstract Game of the Year by Games Magazine. Its compact rules combine hidden king identity, escalating movement, and a distinctive magnetic pull into a focused abstract contest.