A ludeme is "an element of play" within a
card game or
board game
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a comp ...
, as distinct from an "instrument of play" which forms part of the equipment with which a game is played. An example of a ludeme is the L-shaped movement of a
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
in
chess, whereas the knight itself is an instrument of play.
[''What's a Ludeme?'']
at parlettgames.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Origin
The term was originally coined by French game writer Pierre Berloquin.
[''Foundations of Digital Archaeoludology'']
ed. by Cameron et al. (2019). Retrieved 12 November 2021. Borvo, one of the first to use the term, defines it as a 'type rule' such as the method of trick-taking in a card game or the leap capture in a board game.
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See also
* Game mechanics
References
{{game-stub
Board games
Card game terminology