Al-Jabar Basic Edition

Al-Jabar is published by Al-Jabar Games, and you can learn more at our website, Al-Jabar Games |   [www.al-jabargames.com]

The game of Al-Jabar is based on concepts of color-mixing familiar to most of us from childhood, and on ideas from abstract algebra, a branch of higher mathematics. Once you are familiar with the rules of the game, your intuitive notions of color lead to interesting and often counter-intuitive color combinations created in gameplay. Although Al-Jabar is based on highly abstract and profound mathematical ideas, because the game is set entirely in colors, anyone can play and understand it, even if they have no mathematical background.

Al-Jabar contains pieces in eight different colors. You are dealt a hand of thirteen of these pieces, and your goal is to get rid of your hand before your opponents empty theirs. By combining and exchanging pieces in your hand, you can reduce your hand, and even give your opponents additional pieces to slow them down.

In addition to being a challenging strategy game, Al-Jabar is ideal for the classroom, either to teach color mixing theory in elementary or middle school or group theory in an undergraduate abstract algebra course.

The Basic Edition uses small plastic chips for the pieces. A deluxe version with glass gems is available at Al-Jabar Deluxe Edition [www.thegamecrafter.com]. We also offer a Classroom Edition, containing four copies of the Basic Edition at a reduced price, available at Al-Jabar Classroom Edition [www.thegamecrafter.com].

The game can be played by two to four players in around twenty minutes, and the game also includes a challenging solitaire version.

The following video is a stop-motion recap of a game of Al-Jabar. Note that a prototype version is shown, and components may differ. .