- BGG rank
- BGG #8,491
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Apples to Apples
- 4–10 players
- 20–30 min
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- 1999
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Bosworth
1998
Rules assistance for Bosworth
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Bosworth
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bosworth is a board game released in 1998 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Mark Alan Osterhaus and its main mechanics are Grid Movement.
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About the game
Bosworth is essentially a chess variant for up to 4 players. The pieces are the same as chess (8 pawns, 2 knights, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, a king, and a queen), but they are represented as disks so that they can be drawn randomly from a pile. Players begin the game with 4 pawns in their edge of the board or "field camps" and four pieces from their draw pile as their hand. On each turn, a player must move or capture with one piece, fill empty spaces in their field camp with a piece from their hand, and then draw to bring their hand up to four pieces. Pieces move and capture just like in chess, except for pawns, which can move sideways and capture in any diagonal direction, and kings, which can capture their own pieces to escape check. As in chess, the object is to checkmate all opponent's kings. Online Play GameTable Online (real-time)
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Alga
- Brio AB
- Out of the Box Publishing
Questions and answers
Bosworth supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Bosworth is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Bosworth for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Bosworth has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Bosworth belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Bosworth are: Mark Alan Osterhaus. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Bosworth as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.