Donburiko
Donburiko Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Total of 16 cards:
- 10 Acorn cards (Points: 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 1 or 5, 1 or 5)
- 2 Loach cards (Points: 0, 0)
- 4 Pond cards (Points: -1, -1, -2, -2)
Score chips: Total of 50 points (4 five-point chips and 30 one-point chips)
Idea of the Game
Add your cards to one of the card rows on the table to form a score between 0 and 6 points. By taking a row of cards (i.e. returning acorns to the mountain), you can receive chips corresponding to the score on the cards. However, the cards you have added may be picked up by other players ahead of you! The player who has reached the highest score by collecting chips is the winner!
Preparation
Hand out 1-point chips in accordance with the number of players. (These chips are referred to as "chips in hand".) The following shows the number of chips to hand out in accordance with the number of players.
- 3 players: 4 chips in hand for each player.
- 4 players: 3 chips in hand for each player.
(For information on the rule for 2 players, see Rule for 2 Players at the end of this leaflet.)
The chips in hand are the score of each player at the time. Gather the chips that have not been handed out to the middle of the table. (The place where the chips are gathered is referred to as the Bank.)
Start the game from the youngest player.
Start of a Round
The first player must shuffle the 16 cards (14 cards for 2 players) and place cards corresponding to the number of players in rows face up on the table. (The cards placed in rows on the table are referred to as "row cards".)
Deal the remaining cards to the players. Be sure to deal the same number of cards to all players. Place the surplus cards aside face down. These cards are not to be used in the round.
The number of row cards and cards in hand are as follows:
- 3 players: 3 row cards, 4 cards in the hand of each player, and 1 surplus card
- 4 players: 4 row cards, 3 cards in the hand of each player, and no surplus card
(Example of starting a round with 4 players) Place row cards as shown in the illustration and start the turn from the first player.
What You Can Do in Your Turn
Each player can take one of the two following actions in his/her turn.
- Add one of your cards to a row.
- Take a card row containing two or more cards.
Adding a Card to a Row
Add one of your cards to a card row. You can choose whether to add a card face up or down.
After adding a card, the turn moves to the next player.
When adding a card face up: Take a chip from the Bank and include it in your chips in hand. (You can receive a score chip.)
When adding a card face down: Place one of your chips on the card you add face down. (You must hand over a score chip.)
If you do not have any score chip, you cannot add a card face down.
The maximum number of cards that can be added
To each row card, you can add up to 6 cards (forming a row of up to 7 cards).
Taking a Row (i.e. returning acorns to the mountain)
You can take a row of two or more cards. Say "I will return them to the mountain" and take the row. If the row includes cards on which chips are placed, you can receive the chips. Next, calculate the score of the cards you have taken.
How to Calculate the Score
Add up the points on the cards. Count the points on the Acorn cards as plus points. You can count the points on a "1 or 5" card as either 1 or 5. Count the Loach cards as 0 point. Count the points on the Pond cards as minus points. However, if the card row you have taken includes one or more Loach cards, count the points on the Pond cards in the row as plus points.
- If your score is 0 to 6 points, take the same number of chips from the Bank and add them to your chips in hand. (If you score points other than 0 to 6, you have "busted".)
- If you score 7 or more points, hand over to the Bank score chips whose numbers correspond to the difference from 6. (Example: If you score 8 points, hand over 2 one-point chips to the Bank.)
- If you score less than 0, hand over to the Bank chips whose numbers correspond to the difference from 0. (Example: If you score -1 point, hand over 1 one-point chip to the Bank.)
If you do not have sufficient chips to pay the Bank, your payment ends at the point you run out of your chips.
- A card row with 6 additional cards is counted as 0 point. The chips on the cards in the row can be added to your chips in hand.
A player who has taken a card row cannot take any more turn in the current round, but plays again in the next round. The turn moves to the next player.
If You Score 6 Points by Taking a Card Row ("Donburiko!")
If a player scores 6 points by taking a card row, the player can announce "Donburiko!" (meaning "other acorns have fallen into the pond") and receive 6 chips from the Bank. The round ends at that point even if other players have not taken row cards. (Ending a round by scoring 6 points is called "Donburiko".)
End of a Round
A round ends when all players have taken a card row, when Donburiko is enacted, or when none of the players can take a card row. If you have run out of your hand and there is any row of two or more cards, you must take a row in your turn. On the other hand, if there is not any row of two or more cards when you have run out of your hand, you cannot take any row in your turn.
If any score chip placed on a card remains on the table at the end of a round, the chip is collected by the Bank. The last player who has taken a card row in the current round will be the first player in the next round.
Game End and Victory Conditions
The game ends in one of the following two conditions:
- A player's chips in hand reaches 20 points or more.
- The Bank runs out of chips.
The player who has reached the highest score at the end of the final round is the winner.
Once the final round is determined, it remains so even if the player with chips of 20 points or more busts and loses them or the Bank regains chips later.
Scoring When There Is No Chip Left in the Bank
Adding a card to a card row face up: You can add a card face up, but you cannot receive any chip or score for that. Even if someone later busts and the Bank regains chips, you cannot receive chips for your previous act. However, players who add cards face up after the Bank regains chips can receive chips.
Taking a row and calculating the score: If there is no chip left in the bank, calculate the final score as if you have received the chips. If the chips in the Bank are insufficient for your score, do not receive chips from the Bank and calculate the final score as if you have received the chips.
Rule for 2 Players
The "1 or 5" Acorn cards (2 cards) are not to be used. Put them back in the box.
- Chips to hand out: 5 one-point chips per player.
- Row cards and cards in hand for each round: 2 row cards, 4 cards in the hand of each player, and 4 surplus cards.
The conditions for playing/ending the game and scoring are the same as those for 3 and 4 players.