To win a game of Tak, a player must be the first to create a “road” of stones connecting opposite sides of the board.
Stones can be laid flat or stood on end. When played flat, they are called “flat stones.” In this orientation, other stones can be stacked on them. If they are stood on end, they are called “standing stones” or “walls.” Nothing can be stacked atop a standing stone, but these do not count as part of a player’s road.
Depending on the size of the game, players may also have capstones, which can can come in many decorative shapes. Capstones serve as both a flat stone and a wall, and can also flatten standing walls.
The University Edition of Tak features a smaller set of pieces (enough for a 5×5 game) as well as a cloth bag, making Tak portable and compact.