Patchwork

Officially Patchwork (2014, Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Spiele)

A tightly-tuned two-player abstract game where players buy irregular fabric polyominoes and stitch them onto their 9×9 quilt board — designed by Uwe Rosenberg in 2014, one of the most highly regarded two-player abstracts in modern hobby gaming.

📐9×9 personal quilt board + shared circular piece market⏱~25 min🌤indoor

What is Patchwork?

Patchwork is a two-player abstract strategy game designed by Uwe Rosenberg and published by Lookout Spiele in 2014. Players compete to build the most valuable 9×9 quilt from irregularly-shaped polyomino pieces. Each turn a player either buys the next, next-next, or next-next-next piece from a circular market (moving the neutral 'token' past pieces they skip) or advances their time token to catch up, collecting a button per empty space passed. Buttons are spent as the currency to buy pieces and also count as end-game victory points; each empty square of the 9×9 board scores −2 points at game end, incentivizing tight packing. A '7×7' bonus button awards +7 points to the first player to fully cover a 7×7 area. The game ends when both players' time tokens reach the center. Patchwork is renowned for its elegant time-buttons dual-resource system, low luck, and 20-30 minute play time. It has spawned multiple spin-offs (Patchwork Doodle, Patchwork Express, Patchwork Americana) and consistently ranks in BoardGameGeek's top 10 two-player abstracts.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Score more buttons than your opponent by building the most valuable, most complete quilt — balancing piece cost, button-return frequency, and empty-square penalties.

Match structure

The player whose time token is behind on the spiral takes the next turn. On your turn either: (a) buy one of the three pieces available at the market position, spending buttons + advancing time, then place it on your quilt; or (b) advance your time to just past your opponent, earning 1 button per space moved.

Rules

Basic rules

Choose 1 of 3 pieces or advance time
You may only buy from the next 3 pieces (clockwise from neutral token).
Pay button cost
Buttons on the piece = cost paid immediately from your supply.
Advance your time token
Time cost printed on the piece = spaces you advance on the spiral.
Place immediately
Placed pieces cannot overlap or extend off the 9×9 board.
Behind on time = your turn again
The trailing time token always takes the next turn (can lead to consecutive turns).

Advanced rules

Income phase
When you cross a button icon on the spiral, earn buttons equal to buttons visible on your placed pieces.
Leather patches
First player to cross each leather-patch icon on the spiral takes a 1-square piece to place immediately for free.
7×7 bonus
First to fully cover a 7×7 contiguous area gets a +7 point bonus tile.
End-game scoring
Buttons + 7×7 bonus − 2 per uncovered square = final score.

Scoring

End-game score = buttons on hand + 7 for 7×7 bonus (if earned) − 2 × empty squares. Highest wins.

Action	Points
Buttons in supply at end	+1 per button
7×7 bonus tile	+7 (once, first to achieve)
Empty square	−2 each

Win condition · Highest score after both players reach spiral center.

Playing area

Called

9×9 personal quilt board + shared circular piece market

Dimensions

9×9 grid (81 squares) per player + 33 polyomino pieces (1-6 squares each)

Each player has a 9×9 quilt board; pieces are drafted from a circular market of 33 fabric polyominoes arranged around a central time-track spiral.

Equipment

2 quilt boards (9×9)
Personal boards where pieces are placed.
33 patch pieces
Polyominoes of varying shapes with button/time costs.
Central time board
Spiral track for the two time tokens.
Buttons (currency + points)
Cardboard buttons in various denominations.
1 special '7×7' bonus tile
Awarded to first to cover a 7×7 area.
5 single-square 'leather patches'
Passed out when specific time squares are reached.

Positions & roles

Player (Quilter)
×2
Manages own 9×9 quilt, button supply, time token.

Officiating

Casual family/hobby game — no formal officials.

None — self-officiated

Penalties & fouls

Penalties

Illegal placement
Overlapping or off-board placements must be undone or you lose the piece.

Strategies

Prioritize button-income pieces early
Pieces with 2-3 button icons pay for themselves within 2-3 income phases.
Target the 7×7 bonus
The +7 bonus is often the margin of victory — plan a 7×7 zone from turn 1.
Skip time for cash
When ahead on quilt, advance time past opponent for free buttons.
Deny key pieces
Buy pieces you don't need to prevent opponent's ideal placement.
Corner pieces first
Fit awkward L/T-shapes into corners before mid-board.

Terminology

Quilt: Your personal 9×9 board.
Button: Currency + victory point.
Time token: Marker on the shared spiral tracking your turn order + income triggers.
Neutral token: Marker on the piece market showing next 3 available pieces.
Leather patch: Free 1×1 piece awarded at specific spiral positions.
7×7 bonus: +7 tile for first to fully cover a 7×7 area.

Major competitions

BoardGameGeek Con Patchwork tournaments
annual · Dallas, USA + Essen, DE · since 2015
Spiel Essen demo tournaments
annual · Essen, Germany · since 2014

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Lookout Spiele
Founded 2001 · Frankfurt, Germany
Official site ↗
Mayfair Games (English edition, until 2018)
Founded 1981 · USA

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Uwe Rosenberg (designer)
Tom Vasel (Dice Tower reviewer, popularized game)

Records

Highest score in casual play
Various (unofficial) — 50+ buttons with completed quilt + 7×7 bonus (2020)
Sales milestone
Lookout Spiele — 1M+ copies sold worldwide by 2020 (2020)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Play first game with all rules
Patchwork is easy to teach — start immediately with full rules.
2
Learn piece values
Every piece has a 'value ratio' = squares covered per (buttons + time).
3
Track opponent needs
Watch what pieces they need + consider blocking them.

advanced

1
Master 7×7 planning
Plan the 7×7 zone across your first 5 pieces.
2
Time-token tempo
Consecutive-turn abuse when trailing on time is the highest-level tactic.
3
Endgame calculation
In the last 3 moves, calculate exact button vs empty-square math.

Frequently asked

Is Patchwork solo playable?+

The base game is strictly 2-player. Patchwork Doodle (2018) is the roll-and-write variant that supports solo + multiplayer.

How long is a game?+

20-30 minutes, making it excellent as a filler or lunch-break game.

Is there significant luck?+

Minimal luck — piece order is set for the whole game; strategic depth comes from timing + spatial optimization.

Is Patchwork tournament-viable?+

Not competitively played at large tournaments, but it appears in 2-player abstract circuits at cons like Spiel Essen and BGG.CON.

Sources & provenance

BoardGameGeek — Patchwork— BGG
Wikipedia — Patchwork (board game)— Wikipedia
Lookout Spiele— Lookout Spiele

Last verified 2026-08-29.verified