DISTRIX: The Strategy Game
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Players: 2 Ages: 14+ Time: 30-60 min Box size: 8"x8"x2" |
The setting:
In 21st century America two entrenched political parties—Red and Blue—have discovered a unique method for organizing the new legislature of the 51st U.S. state: the parties have agreed to form the state’s nine legislative districts by playing a competitive game against each other. A map displaying the state’s 36 communities is placed at the center of a negotiating table, and the parties take their seats around it. The game that they play—DISTRIX—determines who controls the state legislature.
DISTRIX is a 2-player game of skill like chess and go. The goal—to control more districts than your opponent—is simple, but the strategy—involving basic arithmetic and geometry—runs deep. In the DISTRIX world, strength in one region always means weakness in another, so all games are closely contested. With novel mechanics, subtle tactics, diverse starting positions, endgame surprises, real-world relevance, and 7+ expansion possibilities, DISTRIX is a formidable game of advanced strategy. Can you master the DISTRIX and emerge victorious?
In 21st century America two entrenched political parties—Red and Blue—have discovered a unique method for organizing the new legislature of the 51st U.S. state: the parties have agreed to form the state’s nine legislative districts by playing a competitive game against each other. A map displaying the state’s 36 communities is placed at the center of a negotiating table, and the parties take their seats around it. The game that they play—DISTRIX—determines who controls the state legislature.
DISTRIX is a 2-player game of skill like chess and go. The goal—to control more districts than your opponent—is simple, but the strategy—involving basic arithmetic and geometry—runs deep. In the DISTRIX world, strength in one region always means weakness in another, so all games are closely contested. With novel mechanics, subtle tactics, diverse starting positions, endgame surprises, real-world relevance, and 7+ expansion possibilities, DISTRIX is a formidable game of advanced strategy. Can you master the DISTRIX and emerge victorious?
Summary of play:
- Each player represents a political party—Red or Blue
- There are about 40 turns per game (20 by each player)
- In each turn, a player uses one colored token to (1) establish a district, (2) expand a district, or (3) reassign a community from a large district to an adjacent smaller district
- The game ends when there are no legal moves remaining
- The player who controls more districts wins
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Contents:
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Learn the rules in 15 minutes:
Follow a DISTRIX game from start to finish:
Use the buttons in the upper-left and upper-right corners to control the slideshow
Use the buttons in the upper-left and upper-right corners to control the slideshow
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Combine multiple DISTRIX sets to play larger games
Rules for all expansion games are provided in every DISTRIX box
Teach gerrymandering to high school and university students
Rules for all expansion games are provided in every DISTRIX box
- Expansion game DISTRIX II is played on a 9x8 board. It can be played with one "A" set and one "B" set of DISTRIX.
- Expansion game DISTRIX III is played on a 10x9 board. It can be played with three sets of DISTRIX, at least two of which are different.
- Expansion game DISTRIX IV is played on an 11x11 board. It can be played with two "A" sets and two "B" sets of DISTRIX.
Rules for all expansion games are provided in every DISTRIX box
Teach gerrymandering to high school and university students
- In the expansion game Divide & Conquer, players compete under time constraints to see who can best gerrymander the nine political districts of a 6x6 state. During the game, players see how the same region can be gerrymandered to favor either the Red Party or the Blue Party. This 60-minute game is for 2 or more players, each of whom has DISTRIX.
- In the expansion game Fair Maps, players compete under time constraints to see who can create the most equitable set of nine political districts in a 6x6 state. During the game, players learn that it's possible to create fair maps that equalize the advantage of the two parties, Red and Blue. This 30-minute game is for 2 or more players, each of whom has DISTRIX.
- Discounts are available for purchases of 10 or more games for educational purposes. See the "contact" page for our email address.
Rules for all expansion games are provided in every DISTRIX box