Play Tsoro Online

Play against the computer or a friend

Play the computer to learn how the pieces move and to practise spotting lines. Games are short, so you can play many in a few minutes. When you are ready, challenge a friend and take turns. Tsoro is simple enough for anyone to learn in a minute, but there is real strategy in where you place and when you move.

Tsoro rules explained

• The board. The board is a triangle. A line runs down the middle from the top point to the base, and another runs across the middle, giving seven points in all.
• Pieces. Each player has three pieces in their own colour.
• Placing. Players take turns placing one piece on any empty point until both players have placed all three.
• Moving. With six pieces on seven points, there is only ever one empty point. On your turn, move one of your pieces into it.
• Sliding and jumping. A piece can slide along a line to the empty point next to it, or jump over one piece, yours or your opponent’s, in a straight line to the empty point on the other side. Jumping does not capture anything.
• Winning. Three of your pieces in a straight line wins the game.

Tsoro strategy tips

1. Take the centre. The middle point connects to four neighbouring points, more than any other, so a piece there can move in the most directions and block the most lines.
2. Block during placing. If your opponent has two pieces on a line with the third point empty, place your piece there.
3. Think about the empty point. In the moving phase there is only one empty point, so every move changes where it is. Before you move, check what the new empty point lets your opponent do.
4. Use jumps. A jump can cross the board in one move. Watch for jumps that complete your line, and for jumps your opponent could use.
5. Don’t open a line for your opponent. Moving a piece off a line can leave the gap your opponent needs to finish their three.
6. Look two moves ahead. The board is small, so you can often see exactly what will happen after your move and your opponent’s reply.

History of Tsoro

Tsoro Yematatu comes from Zimbabwe, where it has long been played by people of all ages, often on a board scratched in the ground with stones or bottle tops as pieces. The name refers to the game being played with three pieces each. It is a close relative of three-in-a-row games found around the world, but its jumping moves give it a character of its own. The word tsoro is also used in Zimbabwe for a different game, a mancala game played with seeds in four rows of holes. You can read more on Wikipedia’s Tsoro Yematatu page.

Tsoro or Tic Tac Toe?

Both games are about getting three in a row. In Tic Tac Toe, marks stay where you put them and the game often ends in a draw. In Tsoro, your three pieces keep moving after they are placed, and they can jump, so the game rarely stalls and someone usually wins.

More board games to try

If you enjoy Tsoro, try Morabaraba, a Southern African game of lines of three with twelve pieces each and captures. For a seed-sowing game from West Africa, try Oware.

Tsoro FAQ

Is this Tsoro game free? Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no download or sign-up.

Can I play with a friend? Yes. Play against the computer, or challenge a friend.

Where does Tsoro come from? Zimbabwe, where it is a traditional game for players of all ages.

Can pieces be captured? No. Pieces only move and jump. The aim is to make a line of three, not to capture.

Is Tsoro suitable for all ages? Yes. The rules take a minute to learn and a game is short.

Can I play Tsoro on my phone? Yes. The game runs in your phone’s browser.