This game is based on an unusual principle. Therefore it may take a moment longer for you to fully understand how it works. This does not mean it is a difficult game to play, it is just different.

The 1 Game can be played on many levels and it may take a few rounds before you fully understand the principles of the game. To make it easier, before playing for the first time remove the blue balls from the shuffling chamber and play only with silver and the red ball. When you understand the basic principles, add blue balls to the shuffling chamber two at a time until you become skilled.

Another way to learn the principles is to setup the game with all the balls in the normal manner and then slowly pull the sliding panel. The further you pull the more rows you remove and the easier it is to play. Start playing with 5 rows and as you gain experience build up to the full 8 row game.

Contrary to other games, you do not necessarily strategically plan a position for a win. When it is your turn it is a matter of finding the opportunity, and winning in one move. It could be on your first move.

To do this, you must learn to use your imagination and spatial skills. Visually dividing the board up into clusters of balls that balance each other. At first this may not be readily apparent, and perhaps the clusters that balance each other equally may not look the same. (After reading the rules you will find this easy to understand.)

If you do not see an opportunity to win, remove balls cautiously in a defensive manner.

Every game is a new challenge, you will never play the same game twice.

RULES - In Brief

A game for two players.

The player with the last ball loses. However you will discover with experience that there is no need to play until the last ball!

(There are 42 silver balls.)

Remove any number of silver balls on a single horizontal line as long as they are next to each other.

For example, a player may take 3 out of a row of 7 (or any other quantity) and the remaining 3 balls on one side and the 1 ball on the other side can no longer be taken together in one move.

(There are 8 blue balls.)

In the game (pictured right) only 2 blue appeared. The rest remained amongst the surplus balls. Quantity of blue balls and combinations will vary with each game.

By taking a blue ball, the player has the opportunity to take 3 entire rows running in 3 directions or part of a row, as long as the balls are next to each other and flow out from the blue ball. (The blue ball selected is called the "Key Blue".) If the player uses a ball which happens to remove another blue in it's path, such as this diagram, it does not give them additional rows to remove.

(There is only one red ball.)

The red can only be taken on its own. Any row containing the red can only be taken up to the red.

TO SCORE

Place silver and gold markers on the bottom two uprights. After each round the winner moves their marker up one notch. The first person to win 5 rounds wins the game.

A ROUND means setting up the balls (20 seconds) and playing until ONE BALL remains OR a player concedes defeat faced with a BALANCED BOARD (which we call LOCKED IN).

This concept of "LOCKED IN" gives a new dimension to the game. You will find there will be no need to play through to the last ball.

The techniques you can use to control the game long before you reach the last ball can make this an interesting, competitive and challenging experience. The longer you play the game the more you discover the scope it has.

A player faced with this situation may remove either one or two balls in one of the horizontal rows.
The second player will then remove either one or two balls to leave one ball remaining and win.

This simple diagram is the basic principle of what we call LOCKED IN or a balanced board. We would expect the player faced with this situation to concede!

As simple as it looks, you can develop a complex series of balls that balance and have the same effect.

Here is another example that produces the same result.

If the player faced with this combination takes the one ball on top, the opponent takes one off the side of the 3 balls to create the previous diagram, OR if they decide to take one ball in the middle of the 3, the opponent will take the pair to create 3 singles. (When singles are on their own, a player must lose facing an odd amount.) All attempts to win from this situation can be overcome with a counter-move to stop you.

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