In the game Jenga, 54 wooden crafted blocks are stacked to form a tower of perpendicular layers. The tower must be built with each layer having three blocks that lie at a right angle to the previous layer.
Players have to remove a block from a layer and place it on top of the tower using one hand. Players are allowed to tap blocks to find out which piece is loose to ensure the tower is stable before removing the block.
Can a player take from the top 3? No, Jenga rules allow players to only take a block from the layer below a completed layer. If the top row only has 2 blocks, then the top row in incomplete and the second row is the highest completed row.
As a result, you can remove a block from the third row and below. The removed block must be placed on top to ensure the pattern of three-block layers continues.
It’s advisable for a player to poke blocks on different layers to see which piece to remove. The layer from which a block is taken will depend on the tower’s stability.
If the blocks are loose, it’s easier for a player to remove than blocks that are tightly rooted into the structure of the tower. Remember, if the tower tumbles down on the player’s turn then they lose the game.
Jenga rules are very clear on avoiding blocks from the top row of the tower. Answered below are frequently asked questions about taking form the top 3 in Jenga.
How high can Jenga go?
The maximum level that a player can achieve in a Jenga game is 51. The elemental rule of Jenga states a player cannot take a block from the top level, which implies the top levels can have at least five blocks in between them.
By calculations (54-5=49), it means at least 49 blocks will be underneath the top two levels. Thus, there will be 51 levels that a player can attain.
By this calculation, the assumption is, the uppermost levels are counted regardless of whether they have one or two blocks. Therefore, if the top layer cannot be counted until its complete, then the levels remain at 50.
However, the world record of highest Jenga levels reached up to this point are 44 levels for the jumbo Jenga game, and 30 levels for a stable classic Jenga game in 4 minutes and 4 seconds.
Can you remove more than one block?
No, Jenga rules only allow a player to remove one block per turn. If a player tries to remove the block and a second block falls out, a player can push the block back to fix it to ensure the tower is stable for the next player.
A player can tap a block to ensure that blocks are loose before removing it from the tower. If a player moves a block and doesn’t play it, they must fix it before touching another block, and it should be done using one hand only, though players are allowed to switch hands during their turn.
Leaving a block hanging can be advantageous to the next player since it will give them a very easy play to remove the loose block.
What’s the highest level you can pull from in Jenga?
The highest level you can pull from in Jenga is the row beneath the top row. If you are trying to go for the tallest tower possible, make a strong base before engaging the top rows.
A Jenga tower can be arranged in two ways. Typically, players arrange the blocks by stacking 3 block rows perpendicularly one on top of each other. The 54 Jenga blocks results in 18 layers in the tower for a height of 27 cm
However, if players want to make the game more challenging, they can stack their blocks on their sides. As a result, the amount of layers will be the same but the tower will be 45 cm.
The traditional Jenga block size is 1.5cm x 2.5cm x 7.5cm. Arranging length-wise in the Jenga game is impossible because three blocks cannot fit in level if the blocks are arranged in that dimension.
A jumbo Jenga can go up to five feet, equivalent to 150cm. Even though Giant Jenga uses the same rules as the classic Jenga, the size of the blocks is drastically different.
How many rows down can you pull in Jenga?
A player pull a block from any rows below a completed row. If the top row is compete, then the second row is playable. But when the top row is incomplete, then the second row is the topmost completed row and the third row and below are playable.
The rules allow a player to only remove blocks below complete levels, making the top level off-limits. A level below a complete row is the only way a player is guaranteed to have three blocks to choose from.
Taking Top 3 in Jenga: Conclusion
A player cannot take a block from the top row, but they are allowed to pull down a block from beneath any complete row (having three blocks). Therefore, the top level is always off limits.
Players have to take a block from a row below a complete level because that’s the only guarantee a player will have three blocks to choose from. The tower goes as high as possible, depending on how the blocks are stacked.
The tower can be stacked up to 51 levels when counting even the top layer, but if the top layer is not counted until it’s complete, the tower can go up to 50 levels. A player can make these levels with 96 or 97 moves.
In the Jenga game, a player can only take one block per turn below a complete level and place it on the top of the tower to form a new level. While acting, a player should use only one hand.
A player cannot pull down a block from the top three levels, and a player can only take a block from beneath a complete level. This provides evenness and fluidity to the gameplay to make it fun and exciting at all times.