Nine Break®Rules, how to play, and how to play it on the app

What is Nine Break?

Nine Break is a two-player board game where you sandwich your opponent's numbered pieces, compare the sums, and flip them. Combining arithmetic with Othello (Reversi), it appeared in school textbooks as a "math game" in 2015.

A game of arithmetic and Reversi with numbered pieces. Compare the sum of your two flanking pieces with the sum of the opposing pieces between them. If yours is greater, flip the opposing pieces. For totals of 10 or more, compare only the units digit. You may place a piece that flanks an opponent even if it cannot flip anything. The two sides of a piece add up to 5 on the 4×4 board and 7 on the 6×6 board. When the board is full or neither player can flank, the player with more pieces wins.

Nine Break rules: how to play

1. Add up numbers and compare with your opponent's pieces

   Sandwich your opponent's pieces, then compare the sum of your two flanking pieces with the sum of the pieces in between. Sums of 10 or more are compared by their ones digit. If yours is bigger, you flip their pieces.

2. Think about the number after the flip

   The front and back of each piece add up to 5 on 4×4 and 7 on 6×6. Don't just ask what you can flip now; consider your opponent's next move too.

3. Most pieces wins

   The game ends when the board is full or neither player can sandwich the other. Whoever has the most pieces of their color wins.

You can also check the detailed rules and controls in the app's How to Play guide.

Tips to win at Nine Break

1. Corners and edges are hard to sandwich

   Just like Othello, corner pieces can't be sandwiched. Think about how defensible a spot is, not just how big the number is.

2. Flipping changes the number

   The front and back of each piece always add up to the same total (5 on 4×4, 7 on 6×6). Flip a small number of your opponent's and it becomes a big number for you.

3. Watch the ones digit on 6×6

   When a sum reaches 10 or more, only the ones digit counts. Sandwiching with two big numbers can actually make you lose.

Who it's for

• Anyone who wants a math game to exercise their brain
• Fans of two-player strategy games like Othello or shogi
• Parents looking for an educational game to play with kids

Play Nine Break on the app

PoKeBo is an app for playing board games on your phone. Nine Break supports these ways to play:

• Play online with friendsCreate a room and send the room code to play with friends anywhere.
• Play with friends nearbyWhen you're in the same place, connect nearby devices directly and play together.
• Pass-and-playTake turns passing one phone around.
• Solo vs. CPUNo opponent? Play against the CPU.
• Level up as you playEvery win raises your level, all the way up to level 30.
• Learn by playingAn interactive tutorial teaches you the rules as you play.

Price

4×4 is free to play. 6×6 is an add-on. Practice solo against the CPU or play head-to-head with a friend.

• Base game: Free
• 6×6の大きい盤: 990 points

Points are PoKeBo's in-app currency. Please check the latest price in the app before purchasing.

Start playing Nine Break in 3 steps

1. Install PoKeBo for free.
2. Find "Nine Break" in the store and get the game.
3. Check how to play and jump right in.

FAQ

About the game

Trademark：Nine Break® (NineBreak®) is a registered trademark of the Nine Break Association.

PoKeBo is an app for enjoying board games on your smartphone.