Barricade
Race to the far side or wall off your opponent - a path must always stay open
100% free. Runs entirely in your browser - your files and data never leave your device and nothing is uploaded to any server.
Player 1's turn
2 players: start on your colour's side and race to the opposite edge.
Unlimited walls - one per turn, as long as every pawn keeps a path to its goal.
Saved on this device for next time.
- On your turn, move one square or place one wall.
- Tap a dotted square to move, or a groove between squares to build a wall.
- Walls can slow anyone down but never fully block a path.
- Walls may cross each other in a plus shape, and you can build one on any turn - even when you are one step from winning.
- Next to another pawn? Jump over it - or sideways if a wall is behind it.
About this tool
Barricade - the wall-and-race game many players know as Blockade - is a strategic board game where you race to reach the opposite side of the board while placing walls to slow your opponent down. The crucial rule: a path to the goal must always remain open for every player, which adds real tactical depth beyond simple blocking.
How to use this tool
- Start race setupEach player starts with a pawn and unlimited walls - one wall per turn instead of a move.
- Advance toward goal lineMove efficiently while preserving route flexibility.
- Place walls tacticallyDelay opponent path without violating open-route rule.
- Win position raceReach opposite side before rival pawn does.
Barricade rules in brief
On your turn, either move your pawn one step or place a wall. Walls block movement between squares, but you may never place one that cuts a player off completely - there must always be a path to the goal. The first pawn to reach the far side wins.
Move while you are ahead, and place walls when your opponent is closer to their goal than you are to yours - a wall that forces a long detour is worth more than one step of your own. This version has no limit on the number of walls. The game is closely related to the board game Quoridor.
Key features
- Combines racing and blockade strategy elegantly.
- Develops positional planning and adaptability.
- Every move creates meaningful tactical tradeoffs.
- High replay value with evolving board states.
Common uses
- Competitive board strategy practice.
- Training long-term planning in turn games.
- Local tactical duels with friends.
- Teaching constrained-rule strategic thinking.
Tips for better results
- Track shortest path for both players every turn.
- A wall costs you a turn of movement, so place one only when it delays your rival more than it delays you.
- Do not wall randomly without tempo gain.
- Advance pawn when wall value is low.
Mistakes to avoid
- Walling every turn while your own pawn stands still.
- Blocking without considering your own route.
- Attempting full lockouts against rules.
- Overdefending and losing race tempo.
Frequently asked questions
Balance advancing your own pawn toward the goal with strategically placing walls to slow your opponent - since a path must always remain open for everyone, you can't simply wall someone in completely, which is what gives the game its tactical depth.
Here, as many as you like. Classic Barricade caps each player at 10 walls; this version removes the cap. You still place one wall per turn instead of moving your pawn, and a wall is only allowed if every pawn keeps a path to its goal, so the board itself sets the real limit.
Both. Any seat can be the computer, on Easy, Medium or Hard, or a person passing the device around. With 2 players you race to the opposite edge; with 3 or 4 players everyone races to the centre square.
Move while you are ahead; place walls when your opponent is closer to their goal than you are to yours. A wall that adds several steps to their path is worth more than one step of your own.
The rules require a path to stay open for both players, so any wall that would completely seal someone in is rejected.
It follows the same core idea - race across the board while placing walls, with a path always left open - which is why players who know Quoridor will feel at home.
It is the same idea. Blockade is the 1970s board game in which pawns race across the board while players drop walls in their way, and Quoridor grew out of it. If you were looking for a Blockade game to play online, this is it: move one square or place one wall each turn, and never seal anyone in completely.