How to Play Takes
Takes is a compact chess puzzle. The board is covered in pieces, every move has to be a capture, and the puzzle is solved when the board is clear except for one.
There is no opponent and no clock. The whole game is choosing the right order.
Play TakesHow to play
- Pieces move the way chess pieces move.
- Every move captures. A move to an empty square is not allowed.
- Carry on until a single piece remains.
- Undo freely. Finding the order is the puzzle, so exploring is the point.
How to solve it
Start at the edges. Pieces in corners are the hardest to reach, so work out how they come off the board before the middle empties and the routes disappear.
Pick your survivor early. Deciding which piece will be last gives every other capture a direction.
If a piece has only one way to be captured, plan around that move rather than hoping it is still available later.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be good at chess?
No. You only need to know how the pieces move. There is no check, no opponent and no clock.
What counts as solved?
One piece left on the board, with every other piece captured along the way.