Blockade (1870)

Blockade is played on a grid of sixty-four hexagons (in three alternating colors or shades) arranged in a four-sided diamond (rhombus) shape, with eight hexes on each side. Two players, black and white, have pieces in three types: four captains, three commodores, and one admiral. To start the game, the board is positioned with the extreme corners of the board closest to each player. The admiral piece begins on the hex closest to each player. The next two hexes closer to the middle of the board remain empty. On the following three closer hexes are stationed the three commodores, and on the next four hexes the captains.

Pieces are not captured at any point in the game. Admirals may be moved one space at a time to any adjacent hexagon. Commodores are color-bound and may move two spaces to a hex of the same color. The intermediate space need not be unoccupied, only the hex on which the commodore will land. Captains are moved any number of spaces in a straight line from the joining sides of their hex, but may not pass over another piece. To win the game, an opponent’s admiral must be blockaded from being able to move in any direction. Movement may be prevented by either player’s pieces, and once an admiral is blockaded, none of that player’s other pieces are allowed to move.