How to play “Rock me Archimedes”
Set up
Players
Rock Me Archimedes is a game for two players, suitable for ages 8 and up.
What do you need to play?
It is a commercial game, so in order to play, you’ll need a Rock Me Archimedes set—either pick one up or borrow it from a generous neighbor! Below we tell you where to find it at the best price.
Game elements
The set includes a board, balls and a die.
The Rock me Archimedes board is a balance. Pretty original, right? As you can see in the image, the balance board has a central dark zone and two dark zones on each end, one for each player.
Each player has 12 balls, black or white.
We also have a special die with only three numbers, we will see later what it is used for.
Starting position
A game of Rock me Archimedes starts with the board empty and balanced.
Who’s first?
Both players roll the dice once, and the player who obtains the highest number enjoys three privileges: they have the first turn, get to choose their side of the board, and also decide whether to play with the white or black balls. In case of a tie, the die is rolled again.
Goal of the game
What do you need to do to win?
The goal of Rock me Archimedes is to place 4 of your own balls in the opponent’s dark brown area without the board touching the table at any time.
“Rock me Archimedes” rules: playing a game
This is how a shift is played
On your turn, you have two options:
Option 1: place a new ball
The player can put one of his balls into play by placing it in the dark brown central zone, as long as there is an empty position in it.
Option 2: move one or more balls
Player can roll the die and move the balls on the board, horizontally or vertically, as many positions in total as the result obtained on the die, following the rules below:
Rule 1 – Distribute among several balls
The total obtained can be distributed among multiple balls: if a 3 is rolled, we can move one ball three positions, or move one ball two positions and another ball one position, or even move three balls one position each.
Rule 2 – No diagonal
It is not permitted to move diagonally.
Rule 3 – Cannot change direction
If you move a ball 2 or 3 spaces, you have to stick to the same direction the whole way.
Rule 4 – Empty positions and jumps
Only empty positions are counted, so if a player encounters an opponent’s ball in their path, they can jump over it. They can even make two consecutive jumps or jump over two adjacent balls. What is not allowed is jumping over one’s own balls, which limits certain movements.
Example 1
The player with the white balls rolls the dice and obtains a 3. One possible move is:
Example 2
It is also valid to jump over two balls at once, as long as they are the opponent’s balls and not one’s own.
If the player with black rolls a 1, he could make this move:
Next turns
Once the move is completed, it is the turn of the other player. The turns will alternate until the game concludes.
Game over – who takes the crown??
And the winner is…
There are two ways the game can end:
1 – If a player places four of his balls in the opponent’s dark brown zone, the game is over and he is the winner.or.
2 – If a player’s move causes the board to become so unbalanced that it touches the table, then the game ends, and that player is the loser.
Strategies to win “Rock me Archimedes”
The rules of Rock me Archimedes are simple. What is not so clear is what is the best strategy to win, that is something you learn by accumulating games!
Some players choose an aggressive strategy and prioritize moving their balls into the opponent’s zone, while others opt for a defensive strategy and try to block their own zone by placing their own balls there. Which is better? It depends. Think that chance also plays an important role.
We encourage you to try all kinds of strategies. After playing many matches, you will likely come to the conclusion that the best strategy is not purely offensive or purely defensive, but rather a balance between the two.
Buying guide and tips
You’ll find “Rock me Archimedes” in specialist board game stores, although the best price and the best deals are usually on Amazon.
That’s all. We hope that this original game has awakened your interest.
Thanks for reading!
Have a great day!
