Let's learn how to play Blooms!

Tips:
• You can press the SPACE key to make the tutorial progress instead of using buttons.
• You can use to minimize tutorial explanations if needed.

This tutorial exists thanks to: u-topia0

u-topiaWelcome to *Blooms*. Winner of the 2018 Best Combinatorial Game Award, Blooms is a 2-player game where players capture each other’s pieces by surrounding them.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaI'll explain the rules of the game right away. *Each player owns 2 colors of stones.* Your colors are black and blue. Your opponents' colors are red and yellow.2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia*To start, the first player places 1 stone of either of her colors on any empty space.* In this tutorial, you are the first player.3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaNow let's place the stone. Mouse over the hexes on the board. The hex will be bisected on the left and right by your colors. Click on the side of the color you want to place, and that color will be placed. *Action*: Place *black* to [red]*E3*[/red] (and click "confirm")4archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaWell done. *From here on, players must take turns placing 1 or 2 stones on any empty spaces.* *If you place 2, they must be different colors.*1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaIt is your turn again. Starting this turn, you can also place 2 stones. (You must place 1 stone on own turn even at least.) Let's place 2 stones. *Action*: Place [blue]*blue*[/blue] to [red]*G4*[/red]1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia*Action*: Place *black* to [red]*F3*[/red]1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaHere is an explanation of Bloom, which is also the title of the game. *A bloom is a single stone, or an entire group of connected stones of the same color.* For example, there are 4 blooms on the game board now. *A bloom is fenced when there are no empty spaces adjacent to any of its stones.* The yellow bloom is fenced here.2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia*After finishing the placement of the stones, capture all fenced enemy blooms.* (The stones used to capture enemy blooms do not have to be all your own stones.)3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaYou have captured 1 yellow stone surrounded by a fence!4archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaYou win when you’ve captured X stones in total. (I recommend new players start on a board with 4 cells per side and set X = 15 or 5 cells per side and set X = 20.)5archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaIn this scene, you can capture 2 stones. The black stone has already been placed by me instead of you, so...Let's place the blue stone and capture. *Action*: Place [blue]*blue*[/blue] to get [red]*2 stones*[/red]1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaGood placement. You were able to capture 2 red stones.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaNow your opponent has placed 1 red and 1 yellow stones in the lower left corner. Both stones are fenced in. What will happen to these stones?1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaPlayers can't capture their own stones, they can only capture their opponent's stones. Players can only capture their opponent's stones at the end of their turn. Therefore, the stones remain on the game board and it is your turn.2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaYou can capture an opponent's stone that is surrounded by the fence, even if you place the stone in an unrelated hex. *Action*: Place [blue]*blue*[/blue] to [red]*F5*[/red]3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia*Action*: Place *black* to [red]*G5*[/red]1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThe decision that the stone is fenced in is made at the end of the turn. You have captured your opponent's stone and the F2 hex is now empty, but you can also capture the yellow one below.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaAgain, your opponent placed the stone so that it was surrounded by the fence. What will happen this time?1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThis time, your stone is fenced in and your stone has been captured.2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThe game progresses by repeating this process. Do you understand?3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia[tip] *Advice for beginners* Players can place up to 2 stones in their turn. This means that if there are more than 3 empty spaces, your stones will not be captured by your opponent. Keep this in mind when playing !4archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThat's it for the tutorial. Thank you for reading to the end.5archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia