Download and print this Achi game board, a traditional alignment game from Ghana related to tic-tac-toe. Players take turns placing and moving their pieces in an attempt to be the first to align three in a row. Print the board, gather your playing pieces, then play this traditional strategy game with family or friends.
Rules for playing Achi and a brief history of the game are included at the end of the page.
Both patterns print on Letter/A4 cardstock and are ready to print, cut, and play. The black-and-white version can also be decorated with colored pencils or markers.
Each pattern is a PDF file that prints on standard Letter/A4 paper.
Print the pattern onto white or colored cardstock.
(Optional) Decorate the black-and-white game board using colored pencils or markers.
Tip: Use Adinkra-inspired patterns and borders to decorate the game board.
Trim the game board to shape.
Tip: For a more durable board, glue the game board to cardboard and cover it with clear Contact Paper. For details, see the English Board Solitaire craft project.
For Achi you will need a game board and two sets of four playing pieces in contrasting colors. Dried beans, buttons, or coins all work well as playing pieces.
Achi is a two-player strategy game. The goal of the game is to be the first player to align three pieces in a row.
Players decide who goes first. Each player takes turns placing one playing piece on any line intersection on the board.
After all eight pieces have been played, if no player has three in a row, the game moves into its second stage. Players now take turns moving one of their pieces along a line to an empty spot. Pieces may not jump over other pieces.
The first player to align three pieces in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row wins the game.
Tip: Try to create two possible winning rows at the same time to force your opponent to block only one.
Achi is a traditional alignment game from Ghana and belongs to the same family of games as tic-tac-toe. Children around the world have played similar games for thousands of years. Some of the oldest known alignment game boards date back more than 3,500 years and have been found in Egypt, Sri Lanka, and other parts of the world.
Tip: For more details, variations, and additional patterns, visit the Achi Felt Game Board Project page.
Digital Paper Extra
Tip: Use Aunt Annie's Adinkra Symbols digital papers or Adinkra Signs digital papers to decorate a paper version of the Achi game board.
Game Piece Bag
Tip: Make a small drawstring bag for storing game pieces using fabric printed with Adinkra-inspired designs.
Picaria Game Board
Tip: Try another traditional alignment game with the Picaria game board patterns from New Mexico.
