Jenga game rules. How to play the geng tower

Board game "Jenga" ("Tower") and its variants

Appearance story

Familiar to many, the Jenga was invented by British board game designer Leslie Scott three decades ago. According to the author, she was created in the image of the game, for which all Scott spent the evenings in the distant seventies. Only then, instead of oblong wooden blocks, elements of the children's designer Takoradi brought from Ghana were used. On the basis of the same African fun, another game was created called Ta-Ka-Radi, very similar to Jenga. She appeared on the American market a few years earlier, but did not find such a deafening popularity as the Jenga.

The game has a rather exotic name. “Jenga” is a word from the Swahili dictionary meaning “build.” The author of the game, Leslie Scott, is of British descent, but she was born in Tanzania and spent all her childhood in Africa. Therefore, Leslie decided to pay tribute to her second native language, dubbing her new brainchild a name so unusual for Europeans.

Kit Contents

The original Jenga consists of 54 oblong wooden blocks. The surface of each bar is carefully sanded, but not varnished or painted. This increases friction between structural elements and prevents the tower from crumbling. The block dimensions of the classic version of the game are 1.5x2.5x7.5 cm.

With the popularity of Jenga, many of its “remakes” appeared on the market, the dimensions of the elements of which may differ from the progenitor, but the aspect ratio of the blocks is mainly preserved.

Ta-Ka-Radi vs. Jenga

These two games are very similar, but have some significant differences. In Ta-Ka-Radi, only 51 blocks of rectangular section are used. As a result, the original tower is one floor lower than in the Jenga, but the height of the structure is greater. The most important difference is how to place the bars. In Ta-Ka-Radi, the blocks are installed on the short side of the section with significant gaps between elements of the same row. At the same time, in Jenga the bars lie close to each other on the long side of the section.

If “Jenga” is delivered in paper packaging, then “Ta-Ka-Radi” is sold in a fabric bag made of natural cloth with print. The manufacturer also offers a choice of several varieties of fabrics from which the bag can be made, all colors in the spirit of Africa.

Game preparation

Before the start of the round, it is necessary to evenly establish the original tower. You can align it using the box from the game itself. Some sets of “Jenga” are accompanied by a special plastic corner, which serves as a kind of level. Initially, our building has 18 "floors" with 3 blocks each. The bars are laid on the long side. All elements must fit snugly together. In this case, the bars of each subsequent row are perpendicular to the blocks of the previous one.

Rules and gameplay

"Jenga" is designed for two or more players. The principles of the game are very simple: each of its participants pulls one block out of an already standing structure and puts it perpendicular to the previous row. At the same time, the tier of the "penthouse" preceding the unfinished remains untouched. Also, one cannot start laying blocks into a new level, leaving the upper "floor" incomplete.


You can pull the block out of the tower with only one hand. Previously allowed to touch the elements and tap the ends of the bars, checking which one is the most malleable. If at the same time something has budged, then the player is obliged to return all the affected blocks to their original position before the end of their turn.

All participants make their moves in turn. The move ends when the next player touches the tower, or ten seconds later, after installing the pulled out bar.

Nature of the game

The game trains motor skills and analytical skills well. However, it does not require participants to develop strategies and mental stress, so the gameplay is a relaxed, fun pastime.

Game varieties

On the modern market of board games, there are a great many varieties of "Jengi": from small portable versions with tiny bars to huge pieces that fulfill an advertising role rather than serving their intended purpose. Such a "tower boom" among manufacturers of "desktops", of course, was due to the popularity that the game found among fans of such fun. According to the creator of the classic version of "Jenga", about 50 million copies of the original game were sold in the world.

Jenga: Throw and Walk (Throw "n Go Jenga)  - a game obtained by merging the good old "Jenga" and game dice. Elements of the classic set are painted in three different colors. The bones are marked with colors and words stating where exactly the bar should be pulled out (middle, top, bottom of the tower), and also how many blocks need to be pulled out in one turn. For example, after the first throw, you get the words “any two” on the top face of the cube. This means that you have to "fight" with two bars, and not with one.


Throw away the bone again, and the crimson face with the word “beginning” appears to be the top, which means that the first element is crimson, and it is located at the base of the structure. Then throw a bone and get the word “middle” on a black background - pull out a black bar from the middle of the tower.

“Jenga: Truth or Dare” (Jenga Truth or Dare). The set consists of the usual number of blocks, two-thirds of which are painted in orange and purple (colors may vary in different editions of the game). Orange bars are desires, purple bars are questions. In this case, one third of the elements of the game remains unpainted. It is on these pristine bars that players are invited to write their own desires or questions. Then the game takes on individual characteristics and becomes one of a kind. In general, this variation is quite fun and aimed at talking to the participants, and the gameplay is generously filled with fiction and eccentricity. Due to its nature, it is designed for players over 12 years old. Nevertheless, many rightfully point out that this kind of "Jengi" is not suitable for children. The desires and questions proposed by the creators cannot be called crystal innocent. On the one hand, you may only need to sing a song or characterize one of the participants and the game (why not?). There are more amusing statements, such as “sensual dance with a mop” and other similar inventions. Questions - from the category of tricky with a touch of the now popular “American humor”.

For children, it’s more suitable Jenga Girl Talk Edition (Jenga Girl Talk Edition)  - A much more harmless edition of the game. The blocks are painted in pink and crimson colors and, like in the previous version, are covered with questions. Such a thing could once be seen in children's notebooks, questionnaires, which were then filled out by friends and classmates. Here you will find traditional questions: “What is your most cherished desire?” Or the more modern “Name your favorite website”.

"Jenga: Extreme" (Jenga Extreme). Elements of the game are not a rectangular box, but a parallelogram. This adds a certain extreme to the gameplay and makes it possible to build inclined towers of completely bizarre shapes.

Jenga: Las Vegas Casino Jenga  - a completely unexpected combination of two completely different funs: "Jengi" and roulette! During the tower building, players make bets. The set consists of 54 numbered blocks of red and black colors, a playing field for bets and 75 chips. Recommended for players 18 years and older.

Jenga XXL  - An enlarged version of the classic "Jengi" (although there are much larger instances of the game). The size of each bar is somewhere around 45x22.5x7.5 cm. There are 50 elements in the kit (48 directly for the game and 2 “in reserve"). All the blocks are not made of polished wood, but of painted plywood, so that during the fall the structure will not hit the players to death. The original tower is 120 cm high and theoretically can grow up to three and a half meters during a game! This variant of "Jengi" is especially good for outdoor games, it goes with a bang as a fun accompaniment to a barbecue.

We briefly talked about only some variations of this simple board game. There are also special editions of it. Deserves special attention “Jenga: The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Jenga Nigthmare before Christmas)  - a game designed in the spirit of the popular cartoon, which appeared on the screens more than twenty years ago. Blocks are painted in black, purple and orange. On each of them there are images of ghosts, funny, sad, cunning mines of Jack Skellington and, of course, the name of the cartoon with its trademark "Halloween" font.

In addition, there are many board games created based on the "Jenga". In some, the rules of the original game are retained, but the elements themselves are substantially modified. In particular, a snow-white set looks very interesting Jenga Stack The Bones  with blocks in the form of bones and a skull crowning the tower. Such a kit can become not only a favorite game, but also an original decoration of the interior, which will serve as a wonderful gift for lovers of various outlandish things. There are also similar sets on a more peaceful topic: with cats, bunnies, carrots and so on.

As you can see, the good old "Jenga" does not stand still, but develops in accordance with the desires of modern users. The market is replete with various options for a long time we loved the board game, among which you will definitely find the best "Tower" for yourself.

Many have at least once tried themselves in an exciting game where sleight of hand and a clear mind are the key to success. A popular game from the 70s, it was invented by Englishwoman Leslie Scott when she was still small. Usually children are attracted to the game from 5-6 years old, but from experience, and a developed three-year-old is able to understand the rules.

As a standard, 54 wooden blocks are used for the game, less often - 48 or 60. The width of each piece is three times less than the length and two times the height. This is important in order to build a level tower. The goal of the game is to take out the bars in turn from the constructed tower and shift them upstairs. With each move, the fragility of the structure grows up.

Rules of the game

You can play from 2 people, the optimal number of players is 3-5. First you need to choose what will build the structure. He will make the first move. The participant puts the pieces of wood in 18 floors, 3 on each. In the first row, the bars are laid in parallel, in the second - perpendicularly and so on in turn.

In a clockwise direction, the participants pull one element out of the structure (the first 2 upper floors are an exception) and place it at the top of the tower. Only one hand is involved in the game: holding, pulling out by two is prohibited. After each player action, you need to wait 10 seconds - if the design does not fall, the next move will go to the right. The game ends when the structure collapses - the player whose move was at the time of the fall is considered a loser.

Jenga - game secrets

Jenga is not a game where newcomers are lucky. However, to win you need not only experience, but also attentiveness, as well as luck. There are several tips to help you exit the game as a winner:

  • remember that loose items are not necessarily located at the top or at the edges. Remember to check the middle of the tower;
  • it is safer to pick out the side bars, and push the central ones;
  • the smoother and softer your movements are, the greater the chance that the structure will not collapse. Sudden movements are dangerous destruction;
  • when the structure begins to tilt, inspect the opposite side - there will appear several free bars;
  • do not forget that your goal is to win at all costs, so substitute opponents, take risks and aggravate the tower’s slope. True, first think about whether the construction will fail on your turn.

These little tricks will help you become a winner. In addition, we note that this exciting game is recommended by specialists for home collections of board games, as it positively affects the brain and fine motor skills.

Hello, friends! The ShkolaLa blog congratulates you on the Coming Day and welcomes you under the heading Home Laboratory!

Be careful and careful! Today, tests are being carried out in our laboratory. Brave experimenters Artyom and Alexandra conduct testing. They have the Jenga board game on their lab table. Have you heard about this? Sometimes it is also called the "Tower". And game makers may be different. But our game is from Hasbro.

By the way, I already told you a little about this toy in this article. And today we will not only tell, but also show.

So what is jenga? What are the rules of the game? What do you do with these bricks? Find answers to these and other questions in the video below.

I think that now everything has become completely clear. The game is really very interesting and perfect as a gift not only to a child, but also to an adult who is still young in soul. And coming up with something better for family leisure is unlikely to succeed.

And what about the age of the players? The description on the box indicates 6+. Just suitable for younger students!

Specially interested in reviews of this desktop on the Internet. We found out that about 20 positive reviews accounted for only one negative. And even that, the negative is mainly associated with the quality of processing game blocks. The fact is that they must be smooth. And some comrades came across poorly processed bars, such rough.

And in this case, they really cannot be pulled out of the tower. I dare to suggest that people simply just came across a fake. Since the Hasbro company has personally never let us down in this regard.

There are varieties of the game "Jenga".

For example, "Jenga Boom."

Here, in addition to the bars, the kit includes a special stand on which the turret is built. This stand at a certain moment begins to tremble and everything falls from it.

Janga Gold has appeared.

In this game, the bars are painted gold and numbers are written on them. So you can play both in the usual version that the guys showed you, and in the game with scoring.

Game "Jenga" | Buy with delivery | My-shop.ru

Also, the advantages of the game are:

  • its environmental friendliness, bars made of wood;
  • and functions that develop attention, logic, and accuracy.

That's all for today! We are waiting for you in our home laboratory in a week next Saturday! We will test the board game "Do not rock the boat"! Do not miss!

Once again, Happy New Year to you !!!

Always yours, Artyom, Alexandra and Eugene Klimkovich!

  Jenga is a fascinating board game known in Russia as the Leaning Tower. The principle is quite simple: a tower is built from even wooden blocks (each new “floor” is made with alternating stacking directions), and then the players begin to carefully pull out one bar and put it on top of the tower.

How to win at Jenga

The winner is the last one to get the bar and not bring down the tower. You need to act carefully and carefully, and you should immediately think about how to put the element up: it is often more difficult than just pulling it out of the "foundation".

High tower turns?

If experienced and accurate players, then the tower turns out to be very high: from the side it seems that if a butterfly sits on it, the whole structure will collapse. Many people build a tall tower not within the framework of the game, but simply for fun - for example, to take a picture with it or to drop it beautifully. By the way, the fall of "Jenga" is studied in American schools in physics classes.

Why is this game good for kids?

  • Firstly, “Jenga” develops fine motor skills very well, that is, it activates the parts of the brain that are responsible for sensory and thinking. It is known that such games contribute to the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases in old age and significantly accelerate the child's intellectual development.
  • Secondly, Jenga teaches spatial and architectural thinking: to imagine which bar is less loaded in order to pull it out is a rather complicated task, but very necessary for the child.
  • Thirdly, Jang’s game develops team spirit: children can play it together and improve their communication skills.
  • Fourth, “Jenga” is very good as a family game: it is interesting to play both children and adults.
  • What will I find in the kit?

    The box contains 54 smooth bars of solid wood, the thickness of which is slightly less than the width, shape and. The latter serves to build a level tower, with which the game begins.

    Who invented this game?

    A girl named Leslie Scott: the first set was released in 1974. Leslie grew up near the house from such blocks - and in her childhood she often assembled various constructions of “wooden bricks”. In the 80s, the game became famous in the UK, and in the 87th - in America. This is how bricks and neighboring construction can have an irreparable impact on the psyche of millions of people around the world.

    What are the modifications to the game?

    You can play Jenga with colored blocks and dice: in this case, the roll of the cube decides which block to move. You can purchase two sets of "Jengi" to play one in the classic version, and let the child paint the second one - this will help increase his creative abilities and significantly increase interest in this useful and developing game.

    What other names for this game are used?

    Throughout the world, Jenga is known by various names. We call it the "Town", in Brazil - the "Earthquake", in Europe they know it as the "Leaning Tower of Pisa", in Denmark - as the "Brick House".

    What other sets are there:

      Lera

    “We sat with the company yesterday, sat for two hours)”





    Jenga is an extremely popular, meditative and at the same time gambling game. In the process, players act with bated breath, and a loss marks the crash of a collapsed structure.

    Overview

    The board game "Jenga", also known as the "Tower", is quite simple.

    It is necessary to build a tower of wooden blocks, and then pull out sticks from the tower and put them on the top floor. The design will become increasingly unstable until it collapses from careless movement or a breeze.

    By the basic principle, it is a bit like a game of pans (with miniature dishes) or Mikado (wooden skewers are used). The party takes an average of 5-10 minutes.

    Who created

    The game "Jenga" was invented by an Englishwoman of Tanzanian descent Leslie Scott in the early 1970s. Her ancestor was a game of dice, in which Leslie played in childhood. The word “jenga” comes from the verb “build” in Swahili. The game is made by one of the Hasbro subsidiaries; replicas from the Igrotime company are popular in Russia.

    From what age

    You can play "jenga" from the moment when precise motor skills have sufficiently developed. The tower can be built for the first time at the age of five, although it is unlikely that an adult should compete with an impatient kid.

    What's in the box

    In the package you will find:

    54 wooden blocks, convenient for extraction. Their size is about 8 centimeters in length, length and width are correlated as 3: 1. In the original, bamboo is used, in Russian replicas more often is birch;

    cardboard sleeve for the construction of a flat tower, he is also an instruction.

    rules

    In Jenga, the rules are clear to both the preschooler and grandmother. It is necessary to build a tower of bars with the inscription "jenga", laying three bricks in a row, on them - three bricks perpendicular. A total of 18 floors.

    Next, you need to pull one block out of the building and arrange it at the very top so that the skyscraper stands. You can touch the tower, try on, touch the bricks that you are going to pull out, but only with one hand. The main thing is not to drop. Dropped - lost. After each move you need to wait 10 seconds, and only then pass the move on.

    Sometimes they play “Jenga” using a grid not of 3 by 3, but 4 by 4 bars. Then, in the process, an intricate design can turn out to be marvelous, the fall of which will be just epoch-making.

    There are still options for playing the tower. For example, buy a set with numbers on cubes and take out not random blocks, but the one whose number fell on the cubes.

    Game mechanics

    In "jenga" players have to show miracles of dexterity, demonstrate accuracy of movements and fine motor skills. The knowledge of physics and the ability to see an object in volume, to calculate the balance are also useful.

    Tricks and secrets

    The rules of the game describe only the general principle of action, but experienced players know that there are subtleties:

    Do not rush. The main thing is accuracy, so try on as much as you see fit;

    Try how firmly the bricks sit. Some can be pulled out easily, some - no. If the block does not want to go, do not pull it, otherwise it will almost certainly bring everything down;

    Try to build a tower not higher, but more stable. So the game will last longer. Or, on the contrary, make a shaky crown, hoping that the opponent will not be able to repeat your focus;

    If you push the central blocks, and not the lateral ones, the chance of collapse is reduced.

    The game is unpredictable, because a millimeter error can be worth a win. The original Jenga even keeps secret the exact dimensions of wooden blocks. Ostensibly, each brick is slightly different from the other, so that there is no exact balance and it is not possible to choose an uniquely winning strategy. However, a banal production error gives the same effect.

    The most stressful moment

    The most interesting thing begins when the tower is already distorted in order, and each movement can bring it down. Whether this will come from a recoverable bar, which, as it turned out, held everything to itself. Or the building will collapse when the player has already pulled out a brick, put it on the roof and exhaled with relief.

    How to diversify the gameplay

    When you get bored with the basic rules, bring in fresh ideas. It will be more fun and harder if:

    • Write the numbers on the ends of the pieces of wood, roll the dice and pull the strictly dropped one;
    • Write tasks on paper and take them before each move. For example, do everything with your left hand or sing a song in the process;
    • Tasks or questions can be applied directly to the bars;
    • Do not build on, but disassemble the tower from below, until there are so many holes in it that it will collapse.

    How to increase interest

    It’s just boring to shift wooden blocks just like that. The way out is to come up with a prize. For example, desire. Something large-scale - like the obligation to wash all the dishes after the party. Participants will fight with excitement to the last brick!

    How else to use

    With young children, you can use Jenga as a designer and build turrets of houses together, and then, optionally, remove the bricks as usual. Kids will enjoy building new materials (more than environmentally friendly).

    Who lost

    Ai-i-ya-yi, the falling tower fell! Who's guilty? Who was not accurate enough? In whose turn did a fly fly by and a catastrophe occurred due to air vibrations? So he lost.

    Additional materials

    Playing the Jenga game is more than just placing the bars on top of each other. This is an exciting experience with a strong competitive moment. Moreover, it can always be diversified.

    The secret of popularity

    The secrets of the popularity of “Jenga” are several:

    • Very simple and clear rules, anyone can play it;
    • It does not require a special place, except for a flat hard surface - for example, a floor;
    • Despite the transience of each batch, addictive to the watch;
    • Consists of environmental materials, the details are pleasant to the touch;
    • You can upgrade the kit, and not buy a new one;
    • The best players are both the most agile and the luckiest.

    The benefits of regular games in the "Tower"

    The tower under construction for adults and for children is an excellent common activity. Yes, and for the party too.

    Parsing a block-structure design trains concentration and fine motor skills well. The player has to show everything that he is capable of.

    The construction of the turret contributes to the development of spatial thinking. We learn to imagine what exactly we get if we take out the part from one position and move it to another.

    Other advantages

    The game "jenga" is very exciting. It is simply impossible to break away - well, another five minutes, well, another batch.

    Everyone from small to large can play in Jenga. What makes the desire to fold a tower of wooden blocks a universal family entertainment.

    The number of participants is not limited - although if there are many, it is not a fact that the move will reach everyone. But the one who got the chance will certainly try to concentrate with the upper piece in his hands and not succumb to the "cheering" exclamations around like "Rush her!".

    The set is durable. Even if you have already played dozens of games, the appearance of the wooden parts will not change at all, they will not be remembered or rubbed like cards.

    The height of all the bars is slightly different. This is not a bug - this is a feature to make the game even more unpredictable and interesting.

    There is a whole line of games for fans. For example, the one called "Django Chairs".