Override

Overview

Override is a five-in-a-row game for two players where pieces are individually owned, but mutually controlled.

The goal is to get five pyramids of your color in a straight line, orthogonally or diagonally.

Place all pieces next to the board such that each of the 30 pyramids is accessible to both players.

Each turn, a player may

place a piece of either color onto an empty square the board, or
pick up a piece of either color that is already on the board and move it one space orthogonally, either to an empty space or on top of any smaller piece.

Restrictions:

The center square is special: a pyramid may only be moved into it from an adjacent space, never from the supply.
Pyramids that are currently covered up (by either color) may not be moved. If you can't touch it without lifting something out of the way first, you can't move it. Sliding of multiple nested pieces is not allowed.
Players may not undo an opponent's last move.
Remember, pyramids placed onto the board from the supply may not immediately cover up any pyramid already on the board. They must be placed into a blank space.

Other Rules

A group of nested pyramids counts as being the top color for the purposes of five-in-a-row wins.
If a player moves a pyramid to uncover a five-in-a-row for his opponent and, in the same turn, places the piece he picked up to successfully create a five-in-a-row for himself, the active player wins.
If a player moves a pyramid to uncover a five-in-a-row for his opponent and places the piece he picked up anywhere other than to create an immediate five-in-a-row win for himself, then he has just caused his opponent to win. Mocking should ensue.
Override is not intended to be a memory game. Players may check at any time which smaller pyramids are under any given pyramid. It is recommended to use transparent, contrasting colors so both players can easily see the board state.
No piece is ever "captured" / taken off the board once placed.

Large pyramids, as they cannot be stacked upon, are the strongest pieces in the game and you should therefore think carefully about where to place them.
Keep an eye on your opponent's pieces and be ready to push one of his pieces out of line or cover one up in order to prevent a five-in-a-row.
Although you are allowed to place your opponent's pieces onto the board from the supply, this rarely happens: it gives him more coverage at the cost of a move for you. However, it can be advantageous to place an opponent's last large piece in some undesirable location to prevent his using it right away.
Covering up your own pieces with your own color can strengthen your position in crucial places, as your opponent may conclude that it's too much trouble to spend multiple moves trying to oust you from that location.