Gygès (1985)

Overview

Gygès is an abstract strategy game inspired by the legend of King Gygès’ ring of invisibility. Two players face each other across a network of interconnected spaces, each guarding a throne at their end of the board. Instead of owning distinct pieces, both players share control of a set of neutral rings of three different heights. Victory comes not from capturing pieces, but from navigating this shifting landscape of movement possibilities to seize the opposing throne.

Each player begins by arranging six rings—two single, two double, and two triple—on their starting line. On your turn, you must move one of the rings closest to you, advancing line by line as your front ranks clear. A ring moves exactly a number of spaces equal to its height (one, two, or three), following the board’s connectors in any direction but never passing through occupied spaces or reusing the same connector in a turn. Landing on an empty space ends your turn, but landing on another ring creates new tactical options: you may “jump” again using the height of the ring you landed on, potentially chaining multiple leaps across the board, or you may “bump” that ring to a new empty space (within positional limits) and take its place. Because all rings are neutral, a piece you advance deep into enemy territory may become your opponent’s tool on their next turn.

The game ends immediately when a player finishes their entire move on the opponent’s throne space. Success in Gygès depends on careful planning, calculated risk-taking, and the clever use of chain movements and repositioning to create sudden, decisive breakthroughs.

Winner of the 1985 Concours International de Créateurs de Jeux de Société.

—description from the publisher