Bücherwurm
Bücherwurm Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 120 cards in total, divided into Category cards and Letter cards.
- 60 Category cards, each with 3 categories printed in each language (English on the left, German on the right).
- 60 Letter cards: 3 each of the letters A, B, C/K, D, E, F, H, I, M, O, P, R, S and T; 2 each of G, J/Q, L, N, U, V, W and X/Y/Z; and 2 Joker cards (A-Z).
Aim of the Game
You are trying to play all the Letter cards from your hand. To do that, you have to name words that start with a letter that corresponds with one of your Letter cards and that suit the current category. If you are at your wit's end you can simply opt to play no card to switch the category instead. Whoever runs out of cards to play first, wins the game.
Setup
Shuffle the Letter cards and deal each player 6 cards. Take the Letter cards into your hand and make sure the other players cannot see your cards. All remaining Letter cards can be returned to the box, you will not need them this game.
Shuffle the Category cards and place them as a book stack face down into the middle of the play area. Let the most bookish of you turn over the first Category card and determine the first category of the game. He can choose any 1 of the 3 categories on the card. Then the player to his left can start the game.
Note: When playing with kids just take note of this: The upper-most green category is the simplest of the categories. The categories below become successively more difficult.
Flow of the Game
You take your turns in clockwise order. If it is your turn, you choose to either:
- Play 1 Letter card OR
- Change the category.
Playing a Letter card
To play 1 Letter card from your hand, you have to be able to name a word that:
- begins with the letter of the card you play AND
- fits the currently chosen category (and has not been named before).
If both requirements apply, place the played Letter card onto the table. Now the player to your left takes their turn.
Change the category
If you just can't think of a fitting word, you cannot play a Letter card. Instead you have to change the category. To do that, turn over a new Category card from the Book stack deck and choose 1 of the 3 categories on the card. Loudly announce the new category. Then the player to your left takes their turn. Should the Book stack deck be empty, reshuffle all previously played Category cards into a new Book stack.
Note: The game is the most fun when played in a fast fashion. Nonetheless everybody should have an appropriate time to think (we recommend 10 seconds). If a player ponders for too long, we advise you to count him down from 5, and then force him to change the category instead.
End of the Game
The game ends as soon as a player has played their last Letter card. That player wins the game!
Variants
Quiz Variant for 3 or more players
Prepare the game as normal then play with the following rules:
After the first category has been named, every other player simultaneously tries to find a fitting word with his Letter cards. Only the fastest player may actually play his Letter card. Then that player draws the next Category card and every other player must again find a fitting word. The player who draws the Category card may never participate in playing a Letter card. The player who played their last Letter card again wins the game.
Fast Variant for 3 or more players
Prepare the game as normal then play with the following rules:
If it is your turn you may play as many Letter cards as you can until the player to your left interrupts you by playing a Letter card of his own. Now he can play as many Letter cards as he can until again the player to his left interrupts him.
Instead of playing a Letter card, the player to his left may also change the Category by turning over a new card. This also ends the turn for the player on the right. After revealing the new category and stating it loudly he again may play as many Letter cards until he, too, is interrupted in 1 of the 2 ways.
The player who played their last Letter card again wins the game.
Challenging Variant for 2 or more players
Prepare the game as normal then play with the following rules:
When choosing the category, always pick 2 of the 3 categories on the card. Every Letter card that gets played has to fit both categories.
Notes
C/K, J/Q and X/Y/Z cards
You may choose with which of the given letters to find a word.
A-Z cards
You may say a word starting with any letter.