Duelo de Minas keeps the logic of classic Minesweeper but reverses its goal. Mines are prizes rather than hazards. Two players use the same clues and take turns choosing covered squares.
The board and the goal
The board is 16 squares wide and 16 squares high. It hides 51 mines. Because 51 is odd, the first player to capture 26 has secured more than half and wins immediately.
Red and blue flags show who captured each mine. The counters beside the board show both scores, and a separate counter shows how many mines are still hidden.
What happens on a turn
Select one covered square before the 30-second timer expires. There are two possible outcomes:
- You find a mine: your flag is planted, you gain one point and you take another turn.
- You reveal a number: no point is scored and the turn passes to your opponent.
A run of correct mine choices can therefore produce several points before the other player moves. After every capture, pause and read the updated clues again rather than clicking from momentum.
How to read number clues
A revealed number counts the mines in all adjacent squares. That includes squares above, below, left, right and on all four diagonals. A corner has only three neighbours; an edge square has five; an interior square can have eight.
Example: a completed clue
If a revealed 1 already touches one captured mine, every other covered neighbour around that 1 is free of mines. Remember those squares, but avoid opening them while another mine can be proved elsewhere.
Example: a forced mine
If a revealed 2 touches one flag and has only one covered neighbour left, that neighbour must contain the second mine. Clicking it is safe in the competitive sense: it guarantees a point and another move.
Use more than one clue
Sometimes one number is not enough. Compare neighbouring clues and the covered squares they share. The difference between what two clues still require can identify a mine that neither clue proves alone. The strategy guide explains these overlapping patterns in more detail.
The 5×5 comeback bomb
Each player receives one bomb per match. It becomes available only while that player is behind. Choose a centre square and the bomb reveals a 5×5 area, capturing every mine found inside for you.
The bomb is strongest in a large, still-covered interior area. Placing its centre near the edge wastes part of the footprint outside the board. You do not have to use it immediately: a guaranteed sequence of normal captures may be more valuable, while the bomb remains available for a later comeback.
Three ways to start a game
- Find an online opponent: join another available player automatically.
- Create a private room: share the generated link or six-character code with someone you choose.
- Play the computer: select easy, medium or hard and begin immediately without waiting.
No account is required for any mode. You choose a display name and badge locally in your browser.
Checklist for your first match
- Remember that mines are the objective, not something to avoid.
- Count diagonal neighbours as well as horizontal and vertical ones.
- After finding a mine, stop and prepare the next capture.
- Do not knowingly reveal an empty square unless no better move exists.
- Watch both the 30-second timer and the race to 26.
- Save the bomb for a covered area that can change the score.
You are now ready to practise against the computer. Start on easy if clue reading is new, then move to medium before challenging another person online.