Pictionary
From Free net encyclopedia
Pictionary is a team board game in which players try to identify specific words with their teammates drawings. The minimum number of players is four (two teams of two) but the game scales well up to four teams and/or half a dozen players on each team.
Gameplay
Each team moves a token along a track formed by a sequence of squares. Each square has a letter on it. The objective is to reach the end of the track first.
If the team whose turn it is gained the turn by correctly guessing a drawing, then they roll a die and advance that number of squares. If the turn passed to them otherwise, for example at the start of the game or because the previous team ran out of time before guessing their word, then they do not get to advance.
The team chooses one person to do the drawing; this position rotates with each word. The drawer chooses a card out of a deck of special Pictionary cards and tries to draw pictures which suggest the word printed on the card. The pictures must not contain any numbers or letters. The teamates try to guess the word the drawing is intended to represent. If they guess the word within the specified time interval, they get to advance and get another turn; otherwise the turn passes to the next team, which chooses a card without advancing.
There are five types of squares on the board, and each card has a list of five words printed on it. The drawer must draw the word which corresponds to square on the board the team's marker is on:
- P - Person/Place/Animal (or related characteristics)
- O - Object (things that can be touched or seen)
- A - Action (things that can be performed)
- D - Difficult (challenging words)
- AP - All Play (any type of word)
Normally, when one team is playing, the other team(s) sit back and watch the opposition try to guess the word within the time limit. However, some words in each category, and all the words in the AP category, are designated as "All Play". For "All Play" words the teams compete against each other as well as against the timer, so each team must designate a drawer. Whichever team guess the word first gets to advance and take the next turn. If none of the teams guesses the word in the allotted time, the turn passes to whichever team in next in rotation after the team which chose the card.
World Championship
The world championship in Pictionary took place on the 12th February 2005. The winner was Amir Kirolos, 15, of Glasgow, Scotland. Mr Kirolos defeated Mr Paul Hendry in a thrilling contest which lasted just over 6 hours.
The next World Championship will take place in late 2007, where Mr Kirolos will have his Pictionary swansong, before leaving the game.
See also
- iSketch, a Pictionary-like online gamees:Pictionary