🎮 New Board Game

PRIME

A New Board Game

"Prime" is a blend of chess and checkers, where numbered pieces move based on their value. The player wins by capturing all opponent pieces or having more "Prime" pieces.

▶ Play Store Download Android version 🔷 Steam Download Steam version 🐧 Linux Download Free Linux version 📖 How to Play Watch a short tutorial
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How to Play

Prime board game gameplay screenshot showing numbered pieces on the board

Master the Board

▶ Watch a Game Session See Prime in action on YouTube

The pieces are marked with a number, which is added each time to the captured piece's number or increased by 1 or 2 units when the piece is promoted (reaching the opposite side of the board).

Pieces with the number 1 are pawns and can move forward by only one square. Pieces with even numbers can move forward and sideways by only one square, while pieces with odd numbers can move forward and diagonally forward by only one square. Pieces with prime numbers starting from 5 can move in any direction (vertical, horizontal, and diagonal), provided the path is clear.

Pawns, even-numbered pieces, and odd-numbered pieces are eligible for promotion when they reach the opposite side of the board: pawns and even-numbered pieces increase their value by one unit, while odd-numbered pieces increase by 2. After promotion, the direction of the piece is reversed.

"Prime" pieces do not have a fixed direction as they can move in any direction (like the queen in chess). However, after capturing, if they become "even" or "odd," they also inherit the direction of the captured piece. In the event that a "Prime" captures another "Prime," the direction will be favorable to the side of the board closest to it.

At the beginning of the game, each player has 8 pawns, 4 even-numbered pieces, 2 odd-numbered pieces, and 2 prime-numbered pieces. The player who captures all opponent pieces wins. The game can also end when both players possess only "Prime" pieces: in this case, the winner is determined by who has more pieces, and in case of a tie, the game is a draw or a tiebreaker.

Prime: A Board Game Like Chess and Checkers, with a Twist

Everything you need to know about Prime, a fresh take on abstract strategy games for anyone who loves games like chess and checkers.

Why Prime Stands Out Among Strategy Board Games

If you enjoy board games like chess and checkers, you already know the pleasure of a match decided by pure logic. Prime builds on that tradition but gives every piece a number, turning each move into a small arithmetic decision. You are not just moving pieces — you are moving values. That number decides how far a piece travels and how it can capture, so every match of this strategy board game rewards forward planning just as much as it rewards quick reading of the board.

Many players come looking for games like chess online or a game like chess but with circles and discover that Prime is its own unique experience. Because numbered pieces move according to fixed rules, the game is fully deterministic: there is no luck, no dice, no hidden information. What you see is everything, exactly like the classic abstract strategy games that inspired it.

Prime is also elegant to describe in one sentence: the winner captures all the opponent's pieces, or ends with more Prime pieces when both sides are reduced to their strongest units. That simplicity — combined with deep tactical variety — is why it sits comfortably next to board games like checkers in the abstract strategy family.

At a glance

  • 🎲 Type: Abstract strategy game
  • 👥 Players: 2 (head to head)
  • ♟️ Family: Games like chess and checkers
  • 🔢 Core idea: Numbered pieces = movement and power
  • 🎯 Win: Capture all, or hold more Prime pieces
  • 📱 Play: Free on Android, PC and Linux

Strategy Tips for a Board Game Similar to Chess and Checkers

If the idea of a board game similar to chess and checkers appeals to you, these tips will get you winning faster. Protect your Prime pieces early: they are your queens, and losing one early makes it much harder to fight for board control. Push pawns deliberately — a pawn that reaches the far side promotes and increases its value, so giving up an opening piece to rush a promotion is often a sound trade. Pay attention to even versus odd pieces: even pieces move forward and sideways, odd pieces move forward and diagonally, so the parity of your pieces shapes which squares you can actually contest. Finally, count your total value before engaging: since capturing adds the captured piece's number to your own, a well-timed exchange can quietly turn the material balance in your favour.

For beginners, the best way to learn is simply to play. The game is quick to grasp and each move teaches you something about how the arithmetic interacts with the geometry of the board. As you become comfortable moving pairs of pieces to control the centre, you will notice how Prime develops its own rhythm — closer to chess in its strategic depth and closer to checkers in the pace of an individual move.

Prime FAQ: Common Questions About the Board Game

Is Prime really a board game like chess and checkers?

Yes. Prime belongs to the same family of abstract strategy board games as chess and checkers. There is no luck involved: everything on the board is visible and every move follows fixed rules. The main difference is that every piece carries a number that defines how it moves and how powerful it is.

How are the numbered pieces used in Prime?

Pawns are marked with 1 and step forward one square. Even-numbered pieces move one square forward or sideways; odd-numbered pieces move one square forward or diagonally. Prime numbers from 5 upward move in any direction, like the queen in chess, provided the path is clear.

How do you win a game of Prime?

You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces. If both players are left with only Prime pieces, the player with more Prime pieces on the board wins; if the counts are equal, the game is a draw or goes to a tiebreaker.

What does a promotion do in Prime?

When a pawn or an even-numbered piece reaches the far side of the board, its value increases by one; an odd-numbered piece increases by two. The direction of the piece reverses after promotion, which changes how it attacks from then on.

Where can I play Prime online or on PC?

Prime is free to download. You can grab the Android version on Google Play, the Windows release on Steam, or a native Linux build (AppImage or Flatpak) from the Linux Downloads page on this site.

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About me

Hi, I'm Giuliano, a non-professional programmer.

I started developing the game Prime in 2017. The first versions were made using Free Pascal, then Delphi, and later I rewrote it from scratch in C# using the Monogame framework, which allowed me to make the project cross-platform.

I hope you enjoy this project. If you have any feedback or suggestions, feel free to reach out.

I dedicate this work to my daughters, Chiara and Benedetta.

Best regards,
Giuliano D'Oronzo

Giuliano D'Oronzo working on an Olivetti M20 computer

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For any questions, please contact us at: giulianodoronzo@yahoo.it