Betta
Betta Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goal of the Game
Arrange bettas to score points. Whoever scores the most points wins.
Components
- 48 Betta cards (12 each in 4 colours) and 4 Scoring markers
- 12 Betty's Betta cards and 1 Scoring marker
- 10 Display cards
- 12 Pattern cards (4 simple, 4 advanced, 4 expert)
- 1 Scoreboard
Need a little help? Watch a short video on the publisher's website: jeuxsynapsesgames.com/en
Staff Members Mode (2-4 Players)
Setup (Example for 3 Players)
- For a 2/3/4 player game, place 5/6/8 Display cards in the middle of the table.
- Shuffle the Pattern cards and randomly choose 2 of each difficulty level to place faceup on the table. Return the unused cards to the box.
- Each of you chooses a color and takes the 12 Betta cards and Scoring marker of that color.
- A. Place your Scoring marker next to the Scoreboard, light side up.
- B. Take your Betta cards and create a facedown deck in front of you. There is no need to shuffle them, as they were randomized when last collected. Discard 2 cards to the box without looking.
- C. From this facedown deck, place 1 card faceup on an empty Display.
- D. Draw 3 Betta cards from your deck as a starting hand.
Whoever last visited a pet shop is the first player.
Game Flow
The game begins with the first player and proceeds clockwise around the table. Take turns placing Betta cards to create patterns, and to fill the Displays with your colour. The game ends when everyone has only 2 cards remaining in their hand or when all Displays are completely filled with bettas.
Your Turn
PLACE
During your turn you must place one of the Betta cards in your hand on any Display that is not completely filled with bettas. You can freely rotate your Betta card. You can cover over bettas already on that Display.
SCORE
A. Score 2 points if you placed your Betta card on an empty Display.
B. If you created a pattern (see Patterns, below), score it according to its point value (3 / 5 / 7). If you created several, score the best one.
Example: You created a simple and an advanced pattern at the same time, but score only the best one. Add 5 points on the Scoreboard!
Use your Scoring marker to record your points on the Scoreboard. Flip your Scoring marker to its dark side when you pass 50. The dark side means +50 points.
Note: If your card is not the first Betta card on a Display and does not create a pattern, you do not score points this turn.
DRAW
Draw a Betta card from your deck to fill your hand to 3 Betta cards.
Your turn is over. The next player clockwise starts their turn.
Patterns
They are called Pattern cards because they depict a pattern of white squares.
You create a pattern when:
- Bettas of one color match a Pattern card's white squares.
- At least one of those bettas is on the card you just played, even if it is not your color.
It does not matter:
- Which orientation the pattern is.
- If the pattern was there before.
Patterns may be scored multiple times by players over the course of a game.
Game End
The end of the game is triggered when:
- Each of you has only 2 cards remaining in your hand, or
- All Displays are completely filled with bettas.
Display Scoring
At the end of the game, the Displays are scored according to the chart below. Each of you scores points based on how many bettas of your colour are on a given Display.
| Your bettas per Display | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your points per Display | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Example: Pink scores 10 points for the 1st Display, 6 points for the 2nd Display, 1 point for the 3rd Display and 0 points for the remaining Displays. That's 17 more points for Pink on the Scoreboard.
Whoever has the most points is the winner!
Tiebreaker
- If you are tied, whoever has the most visible bettas of their colour is the winner.
- If you are still tied, whoever has more of their bettas on their best scoring Display is the winner.
- If still tied, share victory.
Playing with Betty (2-5 Players)
Once you have the hang of the game, you can choose to play as the owner, Betty, an asymmetric player who follows a different set of rules. Although most of the rules remain the same, there are a few important differences listed below.
Betty's Setup
- For a 2/3/4/5 player game, place 5/6/8/10 Display cards in the middle of the table.
- Whoever is playing as Betty, you must:
- A. Take Betty's Betta cards and the grey Scoring marker. Betty doesn't have a specific colour, so your deck has an equal share of each colour.
- B. Place your Scoring marker near the Scoreboard, light side up.
- C. Shuffle your deck, then return the top 3 Betta cards to the box without looking at them.
- D. Draw 3 Betta cards from your deck as a starting hand.
Note: Do not place the top Betta card of your deck on a Display.
Betty is the first player.
Your Turn
As Betty, you: 1. Place, 2. Score, and 3. Draw just like normal.
Patterns
You score patterns the same way everyone else does.
Game End
The game ends in the same way as the staff members mode.
Betty's Display Scoring
At the end of the game, Betty scores points based on how many empty spaces are left in each Display, according to the chart below.
| Empty spaces per Display | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betty's points per Display | 0 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Example: Betty scores 6 points for the 1st Display, 7 points for the 2nd Display, 8 points for the 3rd Display and 0 points for the remaining Displays. That's 21 more points on the Scoreboard for Betty.
Tiebreaker
If Betty is tied for first place, Betty wins. Otherwise, use the tiebreakers from the staff members mode.
Solo Mode
Hone your betta arranging skills in this puzzling solo mode.
Set Up
- Place 3 Display cards in the middle of the table.
- Deal 6 Pattern cards, as usual.
- Take 1 Scoring marker of your choice and place it near the Scoreboard, light side up.
- Prepare your Betta deck:
- A. Return Betty's Betta cards to the box. You won't need them for the solo mode.
- B. Shuffle the 4 Betta decks together and deal yourself a solo deck of 15 random Betta cards. Return the unused cards to the box.
- C. Draw 3 Betta cards from your deck as a starting hand.
Game Flow
Place Betta cards to create patterns, and to fill each Display with as many bettas of one colour as you can.
Your Turn
As in the staff members mode, you: 1. Place, 2. Score, and 3. Draw.
Patterns
You score patterns the same way you do in the staff members mode.
Game End
The end of the game is triggered when:
- You have played all 15 of your cards, or
- All Displays are completely filled with bettas.
Display Scoring
For each Display, determine which colour of betta would score best, then score points according to the chart below.
| # of best colour per Display | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your points per Display | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 |
Example: You score 6 points for each of the first 2 Displays (pink is best) and 3 points for the 3rd Display (green is best). That's 15 more points on the Scoreboard.
Employee Review
- Less than 70: New Hire
- 70-84: Staff Member
- 85-99: Employee of the Month
- 100-114: Team Leader
- 115 and above: Like a Boss
Scoring Summary
During the game, score 2 points when you place a Betta card on an empty Display. When you create a pattern, score points equal to the value of that pattern. At the end of the game, score your contribution to each Display.
Display Scoring for Staff Members
| Your bettas per Display | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your points per Display | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Display Scoring for Betty
| Empty spaces per Display | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betty's points per Display | 0 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Display Scoring for Solo Mode
| # of best colour per Display | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your points per Display | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 |
Credit
- Designer: Ikhwan Kwon
- Development: Carl Brière
- Illustrator: Chris Setra
- Artistic Director: Marie-Elaine Bérubé
- Graphic Designer: Marie-Elaine Bérubé
- Editing: Adam Marostica
- Publisher: Jeux Synapses Games Inc.
© 2022 Jeux Synapses Games Inc. No part of this product may be reproduced without the written consent of Jeux Synapses Games Inc., 37 rue Claude, Pointe-des-Cascades, Qc J0P 1M0, Canada. www.jeuxsynapsesgames.com