Tournament of Pieces

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🧩 Tournament of Pieces

Get ready for fast fingers, sharp eyes, and puzzle-powered adrenaline! Cobble Hill is thrilled to sponsor this year's Tournament of Pieces, returning for another exciting year at Origins Game Fair.

Whether you're new to speed puzzling or a seasoned competitor, this is your chance to join a welcoming community of puzzlers and experience the thrill of competition. The event is hosted by Cobble Hill, with special Ohio State Cup events in partnership with the Ohio Jigsaw Puzzle Association.

We'll be revealing 10 NEW unpublished puzzle images (+2 NEW images from a different piece count) - many of them Origins-themed and we can't wait to show you!

📅 When and Where

Dates:
Thursday, June 18 – Sunday, June 21, 2026

Location:
Greater Columbus Convention Center
400 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215

Come visit us at the Cobble Hill booth, it's right outside the Tournament area!

🧩 What is the Tournament of Pieces?

The Tournament of Pieces is a multi-event speed puzzling competition at Origins Game Fair. In 2026, Cobble Hill is sponsoring 10 exciting events across solo, pairs, and team formats (including teams of four and eight).

What you can look forward to:

• An intro to speed puzzling session
• A Puzzle Chess Tournament (guaranteed six rounds!)
• A free team event open to all attendees (relay format - 1-2-3-Go Team Go!)
• Three Ohio State Cup events (solo, pairs, and teams) in partnership with the Ohio Jigsaw Puzzle Association - no shenanigans, traditional events
• New formats for added fun, including The Final Great Eight, Again? What a mix-up!, and The Gauntlet: Build Your Battle

Whether you're here to compete or just curious to learn, there's something for everyone. We're excited to bring fun new puzzle games that bridge the gap between #TeamCasual and #TeamCompetitive - building a fun community together is what it's all about. Like Origin's motto says, "A game on every table, a table for everyone."

🎟️ How Do I Sign Up?

It's easy to join the fun - but there are two steps:

1. Buy Tournament of Pieces badge. It's $60.
   You'll need an Origins Game Fair badge
2. to enter the event space. You can buy the Tournament of Pieces Badge now at the Tabletop website. 
   https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026/badgetypes
   

2. Buy tickets for the events you want to play
Event tickets are purchased through the Origins Tabletop Events system.

• Tickets go on sale April 25, 2026
• Each ticket is $3
• Our speed puzzling events may cost 2 or 3 tickets (final pricing is listed with each event)
• Note that some games run at the same time - choose one for your skill level
• If you play every event we offer, it's a total of: $54 (18 tickets)

Spots are limited, so don't wait to secure your place!

🧩 Playing with a Team? Let Us Know!

Once you're confirmed as a registered puzzler for an event, please fill out our Tables and Teams form if you're playing any games with 2 or more people. 

This helps us:

• Create your table card (used to record your finish time)
• Confirm your teammates
• Match you with other puzzlers if your team isn't full yet

👉 Fill out the form here: tables & team assignment form

🙌 Who Can Participate?

Everyone! The Tournament of Pieces is open to all skill levels. Whether you're puzzling solo or bringing a team, it's a great way to meet others, challenge yourself, and have fun.

We're also offering a special Puzzle Play event featuring a NEW unpublished Origins-themed puzzle from our Cobble Hill Family Pieces 350 line. Designed with small, medium, and large pieces, it's perfect for all ages and experience levels.

Puzzle Play runs in two formats at the same time using the same puzzle:

• Solo entry for individual puzzlers
• Family table (up to four players) where one registration covers the whole table (family members only)

Whether you join on your own or as a group, it's a fun and flexible way to experience competitive puzzling together.

Event Schedule

Note that the "Time" is when the even starts. Arrive at the time listed to check-in, find your table, and hear the instructions. The "Duration" is the allotted amount of time from when we start the event. However, many people may finish in well under the duration time. You may continue puzzling until the end of the duration time, which will be announced.

Event Descriptions

Intro to Speed Puzzling 

This is a short session on the basics of speed puzzling and how you can connect with the community. We'll also have a 100 piece puzzle for you to try out. 

Puzzle Play - do not miss this event!

This is one 350 piece puzzle that is for pure fun to kick off the Tournament of Pieces weekend! We will have a countdown so for puzzlers who want to time themselves against their friends or teammates, they can start their own timer. All others can play for the duration of the event to simply enjoy the adorable puzzle - we can't wait for you to see it!

Puzzle Chess:

Start with six fast-paced qualifying games to earn your place. The top players advance to the knockout rounds, where each match brings them closer to the final table - and the championship.

The Ohio State Cup

These games are brought to you in partnership with the Ohio Jigsaw Puzzle Association and feature classic, no-frills speed puzzling gameplay. Simple rules, pure competition… but don’t let that fool you this is where things get fun. Whether you’re flying solo, teaming up in pairs, or rolling deep with a squad of four, you’ll be racing the clock, testing your focus, and chasing that satisfying “last piece clicks in” moment. Bring your best game and get ready to have a blast. And if you're from Ohio - this is a fantastic way to meet up with your community of puzzle peeps!

The Final Great Eight

What a great way to warm up for the Ohio State Cup Teams event. With two teams of four, you’ll be working side by side to tackle two 1000 piece puzzles and see how well your group performs under pressure. And with eight people in the mix, there’s plenty of energy, strategy, and teamwork needed to bring it all together right to the finish. 

1-2-2-Go Team Go!

Come ready to play a free, high-energy relay designed to shake off the pressure and get you moving. Whether you’re warming up for your next event or winding down from the Ohio State Cup Teams event, this fast-paced challenge will keep you guessing and on your toes.

Again? What a Mix Up!

Are you ready to put teamwork to the test in this fast-paced pairs challenge? Start with a smaller puzzle to learn the image, then dive into the real twist. Both teams race to complete larger puzzles from the same jumbled pile of pieces. Can you and your partner stay sharp, sort fast, and piece it all together before your opponents?

The Gauntlet: Sequence or The Gauntlet: Build Your Battle

Both games are high-energy, stamina-based events where teams of four race to complete multiple puzzles before their competitors.

These games run at the same time, so you’ll need to choose just one.

• If you’re newer to speed puzzling, we recommend starting with Sequence - it’s a great way to get comfortable with the format and pace.

• If you’re more experienced, or you’ve got a well-practiced team, Build Your Battle offers a bigger challenge with more puzzles to conquer.