Download and print this Picaria game board, a traditional alignment game associated with the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico. Players take turns placing and moving their pieces in an attempt to be the first to align three in a row. Unlike tic-tac-toe, the game continues after all pieces have been placed, creating new opportunities for strategy and planning.
Rules for playing Picaria 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 geometric designs or traditional Southwestern colors to personalize 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 Picaria you will need a game board and two sets of three playing pieces in contrasting colors. Coins, buttons, beans, or pebbles all work well as playing pieces.
Picaria 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. During the first stage of the game, players take turns placing their pieces on any line intersection except the center point.
Tip: Under the most traditional rules, players may not place a piece on the center point during the opening stage of the game. The center remains empty until all six pieces have been placed on the board.
After all six pieces have been played and neither player has three in a row, the game moves into its second stage. Players now take turns moving one piece along a line to an empty point. 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: The game can be played using only nine points (the three rows of three points), leaving out the four inner points that form a square.
Picaria is a traditional alignment game associated with the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico, including the Keres people. The word "pueblo" refers to a cultural group of Native American communities in the American Southwest. Many researchers believe Picaria may have been influenced by similar alignment games brought by Spanish settlers. Traditionally, the game board could be scratched into stone or earth, with pebbles, corn kernels, or other small objects used as playing pieces.
Tip: For more details, variations, and additional patterns, visit the Picaria Game Board Project page.
Digital Paper Extra
Tip: Use Aunt Annie's New Mexico Pottery digital papers to decorate a paper version of the Picaria game board.
Learning Adventure
Tip: The color Picaria game board features a design inspired by traditional Pueblo pottery. Look at examples of Pueblo pottery designs and symbols, then use colored pencils or markers to decorate the black-and-white game board with your own interpretation.
Achi Game Board
Tip: Try another traditional alignment game with the Achi game board patterns from Ghana.
