Tumbleweed is a two-player game. It is played on a hexhex board and a sufficient supply of stacked checkers. Hexhex-8 is the most common board size, although hexhex-11 is recommended for high-level play.

Rules A stack is said to be "seen" from a hex, when they are connected by a straight line, with no stacks in between. The players take turns "settling" hexes by placing a stack of their tokens on a hex of their choice. The stack height is equal to the number of your stacks in sight of the settled hex. Only hexes that see at least one of your stacks may be settled. Removing a stack occupying a hex and re-settling it with a new stack is possible, as long as the new stack is taller than the previous one. This works with opponent stacks (to capture), or your own stacks (to reinforce). Before the game, the host sets up the board and the guest decides which side he wants to play. The recommended way of setting up the board is to put a stack of two neutral tokens in the center, and then give each player a single starting token in a cell of the host's choosing. However, the players are free to experiment with different opening protocols. Note: MindSports only offers the recommended way. The game ends when no more moves can be made by either player, or after two successive passes. The player who occupies over half the board wins.

Play Tumbleweed interactively
Download Opening Theory in Tumbleweed (pdf)
Download Local Tactics in Tumbleweed (pdf)



Tumbleweed © 2020, Mike Zapawa