Race to the opposite side while placing walls to block your opponent. Simple rules, deep strategy.
Quoridor is a two-player abstract strategy board game played on a 9×9 grid. Each player controls a pawn that starts on opposite edges of the board. The objective is simple: be the first to reach the opposite side. But there is a twist — on each turn, instead of moving your pawn, you can place a wall to block your opponent's path.
The game creates an elegant tension between advancing your own position and obstructing your opponent. With each player having 10 walls, every placement is a strategic decision that reshapes the entire board.
On your turn, you choose one of two actions: move your pawn one square orthogonally (up, down, left, or right), or place a wall spanning two cell boundaries. Walls cannot overlap and, critically, you can never place a wall that completely blocks either player from reaching their goal row. Pawns can jump over an adjacent opponent, adding another layer of tactical depth.
No. The rules of Quoridor require that every wall placement must leave at least one valid path for both players to reach their goal row. If a wall would completely block either player, it is an illegal move and cannot be placed. This ensures the game always has a winner.
Many strong players start by advancing their pawn a few steps before placing walls. This gives you positional advantage while saving walls for critical moments. A common tactic is to advance to the center, then use walls to redirect your opponent into longer paths.
Each player starts with 10 walls. Walls are two cells long and can be placed horizontally or vertically between cells. Once placed, walls cannot be moved. Managing your wall supply is a key strategic element — use them too early and you will have none for the endgame.
Last updated: April 2026