
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,580
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Ni-Ju
- 2 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2016

2012
Rules assistance for LOT
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
LOT is a board game released in 2012 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Néstor Romeral Andrés and its main mechanics are Square Grid and Pattern Building.
LOT is played on an orthogonal grid of 7x7 squares, with two players struggling to be first to create a line of three stacks of two pieces each in any direction (orthogonal or diagonal). LOT was born while researching the concept of a simple piece-removal game mechanism that made loops impossible, but at the same time, produced potentially long games in a very small playing area. (The name LOT comes from "Line Of Three" and also from "Lots Of Turns". Players alternate turns, with the second player having the option of swapping colors after the first turn (pie rule). On a turn, a player does the following in order: 1. Lays out a thing on an empty space: Place a piece of your color on an empty space of the board. 2. Looks over that: If at least one line of three or more pieces (not stacks) of your color in any direction (orthogonally or diagonally) has been created, then you must do the following in order: Choose one of the lines of three that have been created and remove two pieces, but leave one there. Add one level of tower, by adding another piece of yours to the single piece that you left in place during the previous step, thereby creating a stack. If at the end of the turn at least one line of three (or more) stacks of the same color has been created, the line's owner triumphs. If the board fills up before this happens, the game ends in a draw.
LOT supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for LOT is 20 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 LOT 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.
LOT has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
LOT belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Square Grid and Pattern Building. 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 LOT are: Néstor Romeral Andrés. 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 LOT 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.