Azul
Description
Become a master craftsman and decorate the Évora Palace with exquisitely colored glazed tiles! Azul, winner of the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award, invites you on a serene but strategic collecting journey. Its core mechanic, known as Factory Drafting, is simple to learn but incredibly deep. In each round, you must strategically choose a set of colored tiles from a factory display, with one fundamental rule: you must take all the tiles of that color and the rest will go to the center of the table, making the choices more dangerous for your opponent! The tactical beauty of Azul lies in the tension of the choice: Do you get the tiles you need now, or leave your opponent with a surplus that will force you to take penalties? The scoring system rewards intelligent placement: points for completed rows and columns, and extra points for adjacent tiles. Each decision is a subtle balancing act between personal optimization and the indirect interaction of "annoying" the neighbor. for your collection. It is ideal for couples, families and anyone who appreciates the elegance of abstract design. Secure your set and master the mosaic!
As Amazon affiliates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How to play
In the Bid phase, players, in order, choose a color of tiles from one of the "Factories" or from the center of the table. The chosen tiles are moved to the "Staging Area" of the player's board. The Placement phase occurs when all tiles have been chosen. The player moves tiles from their Staging Area to the rows of their Wall (the permanent mosaic), earning points for connections. Tiles that do not fit in the Bidding Area Preparation go to the Floor Line, generating penalty points. A round ends when all the tiles have moved to the walls or to the Floor Line. The game ends after 5 rounds. Players earn bonus points for completing rows, columns and having all 5 tiles of one color.
Why you might like it
If you are looking for an elegant game, quick to learn and with very tense tactical decisions in a short time, Azul offers dynamic and highly replayable games with excellent components.
What to keep in mind
Being an abstract game, the theme is not very relevant and the indirect interaction can be frustrating for players sensitive to penalties or constant blocking.