Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
21 game cards 1 Treasures card 1 Cave card 1 reference card 1 time marker (1 spare provided) 82 coins (1 gold x34, 5 gold x12, 10 gold x21, 50 gold x15)
Here's the Idea
Each round, you take turns revealing a card. If the total of all revealed cards is below 12, you claim a reward. If you reach or exceed 12, you are penalised, and the round ends. Continue playing until someone has 80 gold.
Objective
Be the richest player when the game ends.
Setup
- Each player receives 20 gold.
- Place the Treasures card at the centre of the table.
- Stack coins along the edges of the card, following the amounts shown. These are the rewards.
- The rest of the coins form the bank.
- Place the time marker on the 0 space on the Cave card.
- The oldest player starts the first round.
Playing a Round
- From the second round onwards, if any positions next to the Treasures card are empty, refill it from the bank according to the amounts stated at those positions.
- Deal 3 cards to each player. Remaining cards are placed at the centre of the table as a draw deck.
- Look at your cards, then place them face-down in front of you in order of lowest on the left to highest on the right. Some cards have text "left", "centre" or "right". They must be placed at the indicated positions.
Beginning from the start player and going clockwise, each player must reveal one card of another player, or the top card from the draw deck.
- When revealing the card of another player, do not move it. Leave it in place.
- When revealing from the deck, place the card next to the deck.
- If the sum of all cards revealed is less than 12, claim the lowest reward stack available next to the Treasures card.
- Use the Cave card to track the sum.
- If the sum equals or exceeds 12, lose 10 gold (or as much as you have), and the round ends. Shuffle all cards. The player to the left of the one who lost 10 gold starts the new round.
How the Game Ends
- When a player reaches 80 gold or more, complete the current round (until the card total reaches 12), and the game ends.
- The richest player wins.
Other Rules
- If you reveal a card resulting in both a sun and a moon being visible, without the total reaching 12, you earn a bonus of 10 gold immediately. This bonus is only awarded once within the same round.
- When you reveal the Boss, you are considered to have reached 12. (The thieves are home early because the boss has a stomach upset.)
- When you reveal the +1 card, its value is that of the previously revealed card +1. If the +1 card is the first card of a round, its value is 0+1 = 1.
- When you reveal the x2 card, its value is that of the previously revealed card x 2. If the x2 card is the first card of a round, its value is 0x2 = 0.
Example of Play
- Michelle is the start player. She reveals from the draw deck, getting a 4. She collects 1 gold.
- John reveals Michelle's rightmost card. It is a +1. That means its value is 5, because the previous card revealed is a 4.
- The total is now 4+5 = 9. John gets to collect 3 gold.
- Hanis reveals John's centre card. It is a 1 with a moon.
- The total is now 4+5+1 = 10. Hanis collects 5 gold.
- It is Michelle's turn again. She reveals John's leftmost card, hoping it is a 0. It is a 0 with a sun.
- The total is 4+5+1+0 = 10. Michelle collects 10 gold.
- Michelle collects an additional 10 gold because now both sun and moon are visible.
- John reveals Hanis' leftmost card hoping it is the other 0 or 1. It turns out to be the Boss!
- John pays 10 gold to the bank and the round ends.
- To start the next round, empty positions around the Treasures card are refilled.
2 Player Rule
When revealing from the deck, reveal two cards and choose one to apply. If you reveal the Boss, you must choose it.
FAQs
- Can I help an opponent by telling them I have a low card? Yes.
- Can I lie about my cards? Yes.