Catch 22
Catch 22 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setting Up
Each player selects a playing pawn and takes their five Blocker Cubes (i.e., the player with the red pawn takes the 5 red Blocker Cubes, etc).
Note: In some cases, a 6th player (if there is one) may be assigned ivory Blocker Cubes to go along with a different color pawn, such as Black, Brown, Purple, etc.
Place your playing pawn on any one of the four Star squares (two or more players may start from the same Star square).
There are 14 Jackpot squares scattered around the board. On each one there is a number which tells you how many gold tokens belong in that Jackpot square. Before play begins, everyone should help to fill in every Jackpot square (ie. place 3 gold tokens in the Jackpot squares showing a '3', etc).
There may be some extra tokens left over after all of the Jackpot squares have been filled (these are extras to replace any lost tokens and are not to be used in the game).
Roll the die to see who goes first (highest roll wins).
Gameplay
Roll the die and move your playing pawn the exact number of spaces indicated by the die. Play is always along the yellow squares which comprise the board - that is, you may not cross over, nor land directly on, the blue squares (which are out of bounds).
For instance, Figure 1 shows the possible squares you may land on (denoted by an 'X') if you begin the game by rolling a '4'.
Figure 1 (board diagram) is not reproduced here.
During your turn, you may land on a square which affects your movement/position:
- Roll Again. You know what to do!
- Switch Places. If you land on this square, change places with the player of your choice by moving your piece to where their piece is, and their piece to where your piece is. Your turn is then over.
Never lose sight of your main goal - acquiring gold tokens! There are two ways to do this:
- (i) Land on a Jackpot square. If you land on a Jackpot square, collect all of the tokens contained in that jackpot. You then roll again.
- (ii) Land on Another Player. If you land on an opponent's playing pawn, you get to 'steal' all of the gold tokens they may have in their possession. Your turn is then over.
Plan your strategy: before rolling during your turn, you can place your Blocker Cubes on the board (see 'Blocker Cubes' further down).
Once your turn is over, play passes to the person to your left (always clockwise).
Winning the Game
The Winner of the Game is the first player to collect at least 22 gold tokens before making it back to any one of the four Star squares located around the outside of the board (note: you just have to cross over, but not necessarily land on, any one of the Star squares - it doesn't have to be the one you started from).
Blocker Cubes
Blocker Cubes influence the movement of the game and are the instruments behind players' strategies.
You may use your Blocker Cubes to stop an opponent from reaching a Jackpot, you may block an opponent from moving in a particular direction, and so on. Here's what to keep in mind:
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You may only place Blocker Cubes on the board during your turn, and you must do so prior to rolling the die. You may place any number of your own Blocker Cubes (from 1 to 5) on the board at any one time.
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A Blocker Cube may only be placed on an empty yellow square - not on any square containing a picture (Jackpot, Dice, etc), and not on a square occupied by a player's pawn.
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Your opponents may not cross over, nor land on top of, your Blocker Cubes. You, however, may freely cross over, and even land on top of, any of your own Blocker Cubes. If your playing pawn is resting on top of one of your own Blocker Cubes you are safe from your opponents - they cannot land on you to steal the gold tokens you may have!
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You cannot place your Blocker Cubes on the board so as to completely prevent a player from moving - players must have at least one path to move along (see Figure 2 below).
Figure 2 (board diagram) is not reproduced here.
- The only way to remove a Blocker Cube which has been placed on the board, whether your own or another player's, is to land on a Remove Cube square. You may wish to land on this square in order to remove one of your opponent's Blocker Cubes, which you hold onto for the duration of the game, unless you choose to hold it for 'ransom', charging your opponent any price for its return (say, 5 of their gold tokens, etc). Or you may wish to remove one of your own Blocker Cubes, which may no longer be serving much use where it is, so that you can place it again during a subsequent turn (but not immediately).
Quick Recap
Before rolling the die, decide whether you wish to place any of your Blocker Cubes on the board (tip: try to use your Blocker Cubes wisely and sparingly because you may need them later in the game). Then roll the die. Are there any Jackpot squares you can land on? Can you land on another player's pawn? Which path should you follow? Think carefully and then move your playing pawn.
Once you have acquired at least 22 gold tokens, head for any one of the Star squares in order to win the game (remember, all you have to do is cross over one). But beware, the other players are going to chase you, or block your paths. Good Luck and Enjoy the Game!
Special Note
If you ever lose any of the gold play tokens included in this game, you can always substitute real coins in the Jackpot squares - just make sure to give the money back to each player at the end of the game!