Azul
Abstract tile-drafting board game. Designed 2017 Michael Kiesling (German designer). Plan B Games. 2-4 players, 30-45 min. Won Spiel des Jahres 2018 (Germany's game of the year). Players are Portuguese tile-layers decorating royal palace walls with Moorish-style zellige tiles. Elegant, beautiful components, easy to learn.
What is Azul?
Azul is 2017 ABSTRACT TILE-DRAFTING BOARD GAME designed by MICHAEL KIESLING (Germany) + published by PLAN B GAMES (Canada). 2-4 players play 16th-century PORTUGUESE TILE-LAYERS decorating royal PALACE OF ÉVORA with MOORISH-STYLE ZELLIGE TILES (King Manuel I introduced style after visiting Spain). Named after Portuguese word for BLUE. GAMEPLAY: each round players simultaneously DRAFT colored tiles from CIRCULAR FACTORY DISPLAYS to individual PATTERN LINES on player board. Tiles left on factory floor OR center = penalty. At end of each round, completed pattern lines transfer 1 tile to WALL grid; remainder discarded. WALL scoring: adjacent tiles connect for bonus. End-game bonuses: complete row, column, all 5 of same color. Winner = most points. WON SPIEL DES JAHRES 2018 — Germany's GAME OF THE YEAR (most prestigious in board gaming). Sold 2M+ copies. BEAUTIFUL COMPONENTS: chunky ceramic-feel plastic tiles + wooden factories. Simple rules, deep tactical decisions. SEQUELS: AZUL: STAINED GLASS OF SINTRA (2018, more variable), AZUL: SUMMER PAVILION (2019, most complex), AZUL: QUEEN'S GARDEN (2022, largest game). Considered pinnacle GATEWAY ABSTRACT game.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Team sport
Players
2–4
Duration
~40 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
player board + shared factories
Country of origin
🇩🇪 Germany
Estimated origin
Designed 2017 Michael Kiesling; published Plan B Games 2017; Spiel des Jahres 2018 winner
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Score most points by placing colored tiles on wall grid; complete rows, columns, colors for endgame bonuses.
Rules
Basic rules
Each turn: take all tiles of 1 color from 1 factory (or center)
Remaining tiles on factory pushed to center for future turns.
Place tiles on 1 pattern line (must match line's color)
Overflow → floor line = penalty at round end.
Round ends when all tiles drafted
Complete pattern lines transfer 1 tile to wall; incomplete stay.
Wall scoring: horizontal + vertical adjacencies
Isolated tile = 1 pt; connected chains = points equal to chain length.
Floor line penalty: -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -3, -3
Cumulative for tiles on floor + first-player token.
Game ends when any player completes a horizontal row
Endgame bonuses: +2 per completed row; +7 per column; +10 per 5-of-color.
Scoring
In-game: tile placement adjacencies. Endgame: rows (+2), columns (+7), colors (+10). Floor line penalties throughout.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Isolated wall tile | 1 pt |
| Chain of N connected | N pts |
| Completed row (endgame) | +2 pts |
| Completed column (endgame) | +7 pts |
| All 5 of same color (endgame) | +10 pts |
| Floor line | -1 to -3 per position |
Win condition · Highest total points at game end.
Playing area
Called
player board + shared factories
Dimensions
individual pattern lines + wall grid per player + central factory circles
Player boards with 5 pattern-lines (1-5 spots) + 5×5 wall grid + floor line penalty row.
Equipment
100 chunky plastic tiles (5 colors × 20)
Ceramic-feel; visually appealing
Player boards (4)
5 pattern-lines + 5×5 wall grid + floor line
Factory displays (9)
Circular tile-holders
First-player + scoring markers
First-player token forces floor-line penalty
Linen drawstring bag
For tile draws
Strategies
Aim for adjacencies
Place tiles connecting to existing wall for scoring chains.
Deny opponents key colors
Take colors they need even if suboptimal for you.
Avoid floor line at all costs
-3 per position adds up fast; better small progress than big penalty.
First-player token: strategic tradeoff
Get first pick next round but suffer -1 penalty.
Endgame bonuses drive strategy
Column +7 usually worth focused effort; color +10 needs early planning.
Terminology
- Factory
- Circular tile display; 5-9 depending player count.
- Pattern line
- 5 rows (1-5 spots each) on player board where drafted tiles collect.
- Wall
- 5×5 grid where completed pattern lines transfer tiles.
- Floor line
- Penalty row for overflow tiles (-1 to -3).
- First-player token
- Forces floor-line penalty but gives next-round priority.
- Bag draw
- Tiles drawn from linen bag to refill factories each round.
Major competitions
Spiel des Jahres 2018 (won)
once · Germany · since 2018
Golden Geek Awards multiple
annual · worldwide · since 2018
Azul digital rankings (BGA, Steam)
ongoing · worldwide · since 2019
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Plan B Games (publisher)
Founded 2016 · Canada
Spiel des Jahres (award)
Founded 1979 · Germany
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Michael Kiesling (Germany, b. 1957) — Designer; 3× Spiel des Jahres winner (Tikal 1999, Torres 2000, Azul 2018)
- Chris Quilliams (Canada) — Artist
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Digital version ($5-10 mobile or Steam)
Fastest learning; AI opponents.
- 2
Base game 2-4 players
First game 45 min with rule teaching; 30 min after.
intermediate
- 1
Advanced Mosaic mode (base game)
Choose where to place on wall instead of fixed pattern.
- 2
Try Stained Glass of Sintra or Summer Pavilion
Related but distinct games.
advanced
- 1
Board Game Arena ranked play
Competitive online play.
Frequently asked
What is Azul?+
ABSTRACT TILE-DRAFTING BOARD GAME (2017) designed by MICHAEL KIESLING — 2-4 players play 16th-century PORTUGUESE TILE-LAYERS decorating royal palace walls with Moorish-style zellige tiles. Draft colored tiles from factory displays; place on pattern lines; transfer to wall grid for scoring. Winner = most points from adjacencies + endgame bonuses (rows/columns/colors). WON SPIEL DES JAHRES 2018. Beautiful chunky plastic tiles. 30-45 min. Considered pinnacle GATEWAY ABSTRACT game — simple rules, deep decisions. Sold 2M+ copies.
How is Azul different from Azul: Summer Pavilion or Sintra?+
AZUL BASE (2017) — original; fixed wall pattern; 5 colors; simplest. STAINED GLASS OF SINTRA (2018) — pane-drafting; variable wall placement; VP for column completion tokens; medium complexity. SUMMER PAVILION (2019) — hexagonal tile placement; wild tiles + complex bonuses; MOST COMPLEX. QUEEN'S GARDEN (2022) — LARGEST game; card-driven; garden theme; longest playtime. Each is standalone; NOT expansion of another. All designed by Kiesling with similar aesthetic. Base game most popular + beginner-friendly.
How long does Azul take?+
30-45 MINUTES typical. 2 players ~30 min; 4 players ~45 min. First game 60 min with rule teaching. Considered SHORT for hobby game — perfect for game-night filler or newcomer introduction. Digital versions (mobile, Steam) 15-25 min per game.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Azul— Wikipedia
- BoardGameGeek — Azul— BGG