A promise of love
As the book «Cómo llegar a la Xima» tells it, the game began with a promise: to give Liz the best board game ever made, one that would let them spend more time together at home with their family. It took about twelve years to reach its final form.
From chess to the pyramid
Before XIMA, Yosdel wrote a children's story, «El rey peón», in which chess pieces come to life. Writing it meant imagining how chess might have been invented, and that led to the question that changed everything: what if the board weren't flat? The answer was the most mysterious shape of all, the pyramid. Early prototypes used a pyramid of dice kept in a shoebox.
From Cima to Xima
The game was first called Cima, Spanish for «summit», after its goal. It later became XIMA, but the top square is still called the summit, and the book calls XIMA players «cimistas».
A peaceful goal
In XIMA you don't win by destroying your opponent but by building a path. The blocks don't represent armies, kings or social classes: they are identical cubes that work together to climb.
Frequently asked questions
Where was XIMA invented?
In Havana, Cuba, in 2010.
Why is it called XIMA?
It comes from «cima», Spanish for summit, the goal of the game.