Antiques Roadshow: The Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
• Assembly
• Game Setup
• How to Play
• Winning the Game
• Play Along with the TV Show

Object of the Game

Show everyone that you are an antiques expert! Choose the correct history and value of some of the best antiques from the popular PBS television series, Antiques Roadshow. Be the first to discard all your cards and win!

Components

2 to 4 Players • Ages: Adult

• 162 Antique cards
• 40 Value cards
• 32 Antique Speak cards
• Parts sheet (Display Board and Tokens)
• Plastic easel

Assembly

1. Remove the "A" and "B" tokens, and the Antiques Roadshow "display board" from the cardboard parts sheet. Discard the cardboard waste.

2. Carefully detach the two plastic easel pieces and assemble them as shown below.

(The printed rulebook shows a diagram of the assembled plastic easel here.)

Game Setup

1. Four-player game: Deal four Antique cards picture-side up to each player including yourself.

Three-player game: Deal six Antique cards picture-side up to each player including yourself.

Two-player game: Deal eight Antique cards picture-side up to each player including yourself.

Place the rest of the Antique cards out of play.

Important: Players should NOT look at the story side of their Antique cards. However, players should look carefully at the pictures on all of the cards that were just dealt. If a player recognizes a particular antique on a card and knows of its history and value, that player should let the other players know. That card should be replaced with another card from the Antique card deck.

2. Place the "A" and "B" tokens in a pile within easy reach of all players.

3. Give each player a complete set of ten different Value cards.

4. Shuffle the Antique Speak cards and deal three cards facedown to each player. Place the rest of the Antique Speak cards out of play. Players may look at their Antique Speak cards, but shouldn't show them to the other players.

Note: Antique Speak cards feature words that are often used in the antiques business.

5. Place the plastic easel on the Antiques Roadshow display board.

How to Play

The rules are quite simple. Read the following and you will be ready to play in just moments!

The owner of the game goes first. Play then passes to the left.

On your turn, do the following:

1. Place the easel and display board in front of you.

2. Select one of your four Antique cards and place it on the easel so that neither you nor the other players can see the stories on back of the card. All players should study the picture for a moment.

3. Secretly select the Value card from your pile that you think will come closest to the appraised value of the antique shown on the card. Place your Value card facedown in front of you. All players do the same. If two or more items are shown on the card, choose a Value card that you think represents the combined value. But, players beware! The item shown could be a reproduction!

Example: Let's say that the Antique card shows a wooden sculpture that you think might be worth about $5,000. You would choose the Value card with the range of $4,000–$6,000.

4. After all players have selected a value, you then turn over the Antique card and read the two stories (marked "A" and "B") on the card. All players should listen carefully. If either story contains a word that matches a word on any player's Antique Speak cards, then those lucky players discard that card as well as any one Value card that they choose (except the Value card that is facedown in front of them).

Note: When discarding a Value card, it's best to choose a card that will not (most likely) match any of the Antique cards you or your opponents are holding.

5. The other players then decide which story is true by selecting an "A" or "B" token. As the card reader, you cannot participate in guessing the true story because the answer is right in front of you.

6. You then reveal the true story and the actual appraised value. (The true story is indicated with a small "A" or "B" on the bottom right of the card.)

7. All players who selected the correct "A" or "B" story may now discard any card they choose (including the Value card that is facedown in front of them).

8. All players (including the card reader) who guessed the correct value of the antique may now discard the matching Value card that is facedown in front of them.

9. The round is now over. The Antique card is removed from the easel and placed out of play. The easel is then passed to the player on the left. The "A" and "B" tokens are returned to the center pile. Play continues as described above until one or more players discard their last card at the end of a round.

Winning the Game

Be first to discard all of your cards to win the game. There can be more than one winner in a game.

Play Along with the TV Show

Deal out the Value cards and the Antique Speak cards just as you would in a regular game. Now try to guess the value of the item displayed on your TV screen. Be quick and place your bid before the appraiser reveals the real value. If your bid is correct you get to discard a card. Be sure to listen for "Antique Speak" words so you can discard those cards, too. Be the first player to discard all of your cards and you win.