# Parade

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2005
- **BGG Rating**: 7.4
- **BGG Rank**: —
- **Players**: 2
- **Duration**: 5 min
- **Weight**: 1.00 / 5
- **Designers**: Ingo Althöfer
- **Publishers**: 3-Hirn-Verlag, Edition Perlhuhn (Göttinger Spiele)
- **Categories**: Abstract Strategy
- **Mechanics**: Area Movement

## Verdict
A minimalist and addictive logic duel for fans of pure strategy games.Quick and deep strategyExtremely simple rulesDynamic, short matchesPortable and elegantStrictly two-playerLow thematic interactionRECOMMENDED

## Description
You know those games that look like a five-minute pastime but leave your brain sizzling as you try to predict your opponent's next move? That is exactly what Parade is all about. On a compact 4x10 board, you and your opponent control small stones advancing through the field in a strategic race. The goal seems simple: you want to align four pieces in a sequence—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—to form your 'parade.' But don't let the visual simplicity or the lightning-fast playtime fool you; the board's geometry and movement restrictions make every single step crucial.

The rules are straightforward: you move your stones forward or diagonally forward, never sideways or backward. Additionally, the board is a tight space; you cannot jump over pieces or occupy the same square as your opponent. This creates a very tense positioning game, where one wrong move can clear a path for your opponent to complete their sequence and leave you staring blankly. It is a game of pure anticipation and pattern reading, perfect for those who want a quick match between coffee breaks, yet requires a chess-master mindset to avoid being caught off guard.

If you enjoy board games that don't require 40-page manuals to explain but offer surprising intellectual depth, Parade gets straight to the point. It is minimalist, elegant, and extremely competitive. It is the kind of game you play once to learn and spend the next two hours trying to prove you are better than your opponent in a rematch.

## How to Play
Objective of the Game  
In Parade, a fast-paced tactics game for 2 players, the goal is to form a Parade—four of your stones in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). Unlike traditional four-in-a-row games, stones are not placed but moved forward toward your opponent's side to create the alignment.  

Preparation (Setup)  
1. Place the 4x10 gridded board between both players, with each facing a row of four fields.  
2. Players place their 12 semiprecious stones on marked starting positions:  
   - One player uses fields marked with 'x', the other with '·'.  
   - Each places 3 stones in the row closest to them and 3 stones on the sixth row.  
3. Agree on the starting player.  

Game Flow  
Players take turns moving one of their stones one step toward the opponent's side. Moves must be:  
- Orthogonal or diagonal (forward only).  
- No sideways or backward movement allowed.  
- Occupied fields cannot be entered.  

Actions and How to Play  
On your turn:  
1. Choose one of your stones.  
2. Move it one step forward (orthogonally or diagonally).  
3. You cannot move onto a field already occupied by another stone.  
4. The game continues until a player forms a Parade (four-in-a-row).  

End of Game and Scoring  
The game ends immediately when a player forms a Parade (four stones in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). That player wins the game. There is no additional scoring—victory is determined solely by achieving the Parade first.  

Tips to Win  
1. Control the center: Stones moved toward the center have more flexibility to form multiple Parade lines.  
2. Block opponents: Anticipate your opponent's potential Parades and position stones to disrupt their alignment.  
3. Plan diagonals: Diagonal Parades are harder to block—prioritize creating or defending them.  

Note: The context also mentions a separate game called SOFORT, but its rules are unrelated to Parade. Consult the manual for details about that section.

## FAQ
### How long does a game last?
It's super fast! A match takes about 5 to 10 minutes.

### Is it hard to learn?
Not at all. You'll pick up the rules in less than two minutes.

### Can I play with more than 2 players?
No, the design is focused exclusively on two-player confrontation.

### Do I need to know English to play?
No, the game is completely abstract and language-independent.

### Is it a game for kids?
Yes, but for older kids, as it requires strategic thinking to avoid losing too quickly.

### What is the complexity level?
Low rule complexity, but high decision complexity (easy to learn, hard to master).