Always loved this game. So simple to pick up but enough in it to make you think. Blokus Duo is really good for two players, as you start towards the centre of the board, so the early turns don't feel as empty as in the main game (a valid point).

Just picked it up in a charity shop to give it a go.

Thanks for your well summarized reivew. Personally, I feel like the beginning are some of the most exciting, you can try out different strategies and try to counter your opponents. For example: you can play long pieces and try to reach the center as fast as possible to "claim" more territory. Or you can play more complex pieces to give yourself more breathing room later. The first few turns i'm always looking around the board, seeing what my opponents are doing and which pieces I should play to give myself more opportunities later.

Our local game store has a copy, it's great to break out when everyone else is playing some heavy euro and we look like we're having much more fun

Where is the bollocks?