GIPF project
Encyclopedia
The GIPF Project is an award-winning series of six abstract strategy game
s by designer Kris Burm
.
The series is named after the first game, GIPF
, and the idea behind the project is that the reward for winning each of the other games in the series is to allow the winner to introduce new pieces with special powers, called potentials, into a concurrent game of GIPF.
However, any of the games may also be played individually in the normal way, and they have attained most popularity in this form. The potentials are available in 3 separate sets, the first containing TAMSK potentials, the second ZÈRTZ and DVONN potentials (along with pieces to expand ZÈRTZ standalone games), and the third and final set containing YINSH and PÜNCT potentials, plus extra GIPF pieces. The publication of the third expansion set at the Essen Spiel
2006 event completed the project, and marked the partnership of Burm with Belgian game company SMART, who now publishes all the GIPF games. In 2007, Burm released the new game TZAAR to replace TAMSK as the second game in the GIPF Project.
All the games take place on some form of hexagonal board
, and usually the playing surface or a player's power diminishes as the game draws to an inevitable conclusion. The idea of introducing additional games that can be used to affect the outcome of the main game came from Burm's childhood, when he and his brother would "race" cars around a rug. For each turn, they would play another game, and the winner of that game would get to roll six dice to determine his car's movement, while the loser would roll just five.
, the most popular game in the series, according to the Internet Top 100 Games List, is DVONN
, although the average rating from players on Boardgamegeek
place TZAAR
and YINSH
at the top of the Abstract Games Rank, and DVONN
, ZERTZ
and GIPF
end up on the 4th, 7th and 15th place, respectively. ZÈRTZ, DVONN, and YINSH have all won the Mensa Select award.
Most of the games in the series can be played free online or against freely available computer opponents.
Abstract strategy game
An abstract strategy game is a strategy game, aiming to minimise luck, and without a theme. Almost all abstract strategy games will conform to the strictest definition of: a board or card game, in which there is no hidden information, no non-deterministic elements , in which two players or teams...
s by designer Kris Burm
Kris Burm
Kris Burm is a Belgian game designer specializing in abstract board games. He is best known for his award-winning GIPF series of games. He was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1957 and still lives there today.Published games include:*Invers, 1991...
.
The series is named after the first game, GIPF
GIPF (game)
GIPF is an abstract strategy board game by Kris Burm, the first of six games in his series of games called the GIPF Project.GIPF was recommended by Spiel des Jahres in 1998.-Gameplay:...
, and the idea behind the project is that the reward for winning each of the other games in the series is to allow the winner to introduce new pieces with special powers, called potentials, into a concurrent game of GIPF.
However, any of the games may also be played individually in the normal way, and they have attained most popularity in this form. The potentials are available in 3 separate sets, the first containing TAMSK potentials, the second ZÈRTZ and DVONN potentials (along with pieces to expand ZÈRTZ standalone games), and the third and final set containing YINSH and PÜNCT potentials, plus extra GIPF pieces. The publication of the third expansion set at the Essen Spiel
Spiel
Internationale Spieltage SPIEL, often called Essen after the city where it is held, is an annual four-day game trade fair held in October at the Messe Essen exhibition centre in Essen...
2006 event completed the project, and marked the partnership of Burm with Belgian game company SMART, who now publishes all the GIPF games. In 2007, Burm released the new game TZAAR to replace TAMSK as the second game in the GIPF Project.
All the games take place on some form of hexagonal board
Hex map
A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a gameboard design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into small regular hexagons of identical size.-Advantages and disadvantages:...
, and usually the playing surface or a player's power diminishes as the game draws to an inevitable conclusion. The idea of introducing additional games that can be used to affect the outcome of the main game came from Burm's childhood, when he and his brother would "race" cars around a rug. For each turn, they would play another game, and the winner of that game would get to roll six dice to determine his car's movement, while the loser would roll just five.
, the most popular game in the series, according to the Internet Top 100 Games List, is DVONN
DVONN
DVONN is a two-player strategy board game in which the objective is to accumulate pieces in stacks. It was released in 2001 by Kris Burm as the fourth game of the GIPF Project. DVONN won the 2002 International Gamers Award and the Games magazine Game of the Year Award in 2003.- Equipment :DVONN is...
, although the average rating from players on Boardgamegeek
BoardGameGeek
BoardGameGeek is a website that was founded in January 2000 by Scott Alden and Derk Solko as a resource for the board gaming hobby. The database holds reviews, articles, and session reports for over 45,000 different games, expansions, and designers. BoardGameGeek includes German-style board games,...
place TZAAR
TZAAR
TZAAR is the seventh game released in the GIPF series and Games Magazine's 2009 Game of the Year. It is the announced replacement for TAMSK, the second board game in the GIPF Project. With TAMSK being taken out of the series, the GIPF Project series is still at its intended final number of six...
and YINSH
YINSH
YINSH is an abstract strategy board game by game designer Kris Burm. It is the fifth game to be released in the GIPF Project. At the time of its release in 2003, Burm stated that he intended it to be considered as the sixth and last game of the project, and that the game which he had not yet...
at the top of the Abstract Games Rank, and DVONN
DVONN
DVONN is a two-player strategy board game in which the objective is to accumulate pieces in stacks. It was released in 2001 by Kris Burm as the fourth game of the GIPF Project. DVONN won the 2002 International Gamers Award and the Games magazine Game of the Year Award in 2003.- Equipment :DVONN is...
, ZERTZ
ZÈRTZ
ZÈRTZ is the third game in the GIPF Project of six abstract strategy games. The game features a shrinking board and an object that promotes sacrifice combinations...
and GIPF
GIPF
GIPF may refer to:* The GIPF Project, comprising six abstract strategy board games by Kris Burm** GIPF , the first and central game of the GIPF Project* Great Irish Potato Famine...
end up on the 4th, 7th and 15th place, respectively. ZÈRTZ, DVONN, and YINSH have all won the Mensa Select award.
List of games
- GIPFGIPF (game)GIPF is an abstract strategy board game by Kris Burm, the first of six games in his series of games called the GIPF Project.GIPF was recommended by Spiel des Jahres in 1998.-Gameplay:...
is a game of pushing. - TAMSKTAMSKTAMSK is the second board game in the GIPF Project of six abstract strategy games and was published in 1998. Players move sand hourglass timers and drop plastic rings around spaces on a hexagonal board in an attempt to limit their opponent's moves. Each player starts the game with 32 rings, and...
is a game of time. - With the release of TZAARTZAARTZAAR is the seventh game released in the GIPF series and Games Magazine's 2009 Game of the Year. It is the announced replacement for TAMSK, the second board game in the GIPF Project. With TAMSK being taken out of the series, the GIPF Project series is still at its intended final number of six...
in 2007, this game was taken out of the project/series. - ZÈRTZZÈRTZZÈRTZ is the third game in the GIPF Project of six abstract strategy games. The game features a shrinking board and an object that promotes sacrifice combinations...
is a game of sacrifice. - DVONNDVONNDVONN is a two-player strategy board game in which the objective is to accumulate pieces in stacks. It was released in 2001 by Kris Burm as the fourth game of the GIPF Project. DVONN won the 2002 International Gamers Award and the Games magazine Game of the Year Award in 2003.- Equipment :DVONN is...
is a game of towers. - YINSHYINSHYINSH is an abstract strategy board game by game designer Kris Burm. It is the fifth game to be released in the GIPF Project. At the time of its release in 2003, Burm stated that he intended it to be considered as the sixth and last game of the project, and that the game which he had not yet...
is a game of flipping. - PÜNCTPÜNCTPÜNCT is a two-player strategy board game. It is the sixth release in the GIPF project of six abstract strategy games, although it is considered the fifth game in the project. It was released in 2005. PÜNCT won the Games Magazine Best Abstract Strategy game for 2007.PÜNCT is a connection game...
is a game of connection. - TZAARTZAARTZAAR is the seventh game released in the GIPF series and Games Magazine's 2009 Game of the Year. It is the announced replacement for TAMSK, the second board game in the GIPF Project. With TAMSK being taken out of the series, the GIPF Project series is still at its intended final number of six...
is a game of capture and stacking. (replacing TAMSKTAMSKTAMSK is the second board game in the GIPF Project of six abstract strategy games and was published in 1998. Players move sand hourglass timers and drop plastic rings around spaces on a hexagonal board in an attempt to limit their opponent's moves. Each player starts the game with 32 rings, and...
)