Eureka

Eureka Rulebook

Object of the Game
Getting Ready
Rules of the Game
End of the Game
Tips for Clever Gold Miners

Object of the Game

The winner of the game is the player (gold miner) who has the most points in gold nuggets and captured robbers when the train arrives in Golden City.

Getting Ready

Before the first game, remove all the gold, robber and spare chips, as well as the six rafts, from the cardboard panel. Put the spare chips to one side and use them to make up new gold nuggets if necessary.

Place the board in the middle of the table. Shuffle the gold and robber chips and place them face down on the hexagons which represent a mining hole. Place the rafts in the water next to the posts. Place the train on the first hexagon containing a railway track, which is next to the tunnel.

Each player should now choose a gold miner figure and place him in the same colored house in Golden City.

Rules of the Game

Each player starts in his or her house in Golden City. The house can only be entered and left through the door (which is two hexagons wide). The youngest player begins by throwing the die.

The Die

If the die shows a number between 2 and 6, the player moves their gold miner the number of spaces (hexagons) shown. All hexagons count as one, including occupied ones.

During a move, a hexagon may be entered more than once, as long as the player is not simply moving backwards and forwards between two spaces.

If the die shows the locomotive, the player must move the train one place nearer to Golden City and may not move their gold miner during his turn. Players may not jump over the locomotive.

Gold Discovery Areas

If a player ends his or her turn by landing on a hexagon occupied by a chip, he must openly turn the piece over for all players to see. If the chip shows gold nuggets, the gold miner has discovered gold (Eureka - "I've found it!"). The gold nugget chip is then laid face-up in front of the player on the table. Each separate nugget counts as one point at the end of the game. Play then moves clockwise to the next person on the left.

Gold discoveries are only safe after players take them to their house in Golden City. While lying on the table, gold can be lost to robbers and other gold miners.

As soon as the players find gold nuggets that they want to keep safe, they should start moving their gold miner figures back to their homes. Each house must be entered by throwing the exact number on the die. When safe in their house, players deposit gold nuggets and captured robbers there (see "captured robbers" in the following pages) for the train to pick up. Players can leave the house again on the following move to discover more gold. Don't worry! Golden City has a sheriff in charge of law and order and everything in the house will be safe.

Gold Miners versus Robbers

Some chips show robbers and when they are turned over, players must defend gold that has not been placed in their house. Defense is made with the throw of the die. The player turning over the robber chip throws the die.

If the number on the die is higher than the number on the robber's hat, the player keeps the gold and captures the robber.

If the number on the die is lower than the number on the robber's hat, the robber collects all the gold that is lying on the table in front of the player. All gold chips are stacked up on the robber's space, and the robber chip is placed on the top. The gold miner figure is then moved away the number of spaces shown on the die. At this point if the miner lands on another chip, he may not turn it over. The robber and all his gold can be captured by any player landing on his space.

When defending against the robber, if the number on the die and the number on the robber's hat are the same, the player throws again until the tie is broken.

If the locomotive is thrown, it counts as "one". In this case, the locomotive is not moved.

If the miner doesn't have any gold, the player to the left takes the next turn.

Gold Miners versus Gold Miners

If a player finishes a turn by landing on a hexagon already occupied by another miner, each player must roll the die to determine who will get any gold not stored in a house. (If neither player has any gold nuggets or captured robbers, both players may occupy the same space until the next turn.)

The "attacking" player throws first. The player with the higher number wins the other player's robber chips and all of that player's gold nuggets that are lying on the table. The victorious player then throws the die again and moves the appropriate number of spaces away. At this point, if the player lands on a chip, he may not turn it over. The defeated player stays in place.

In the case of a tie the die must be thrown again - first by the "attacking" player and then by the "defending" player.

If a locomotive is thrown, it counts as a "one" and the engine is not moved on the track.

Play proceeds in the usual way, with the player to the left taking the next turn.

The Gold Train

The locomotive moves along the track one space at a time by a throw of the die in a player's normal turn. This player becomes the "temporary engineer." If another player's gold miner figure occupies the space that the locomotive needs, the gold miner on the track moves to the first empty track space behind the locomotive and forfeits his available gold and robber chips to the "engineer." This loss cannot be defended.

Rafts

The three lakes surrounding Golden City can only be crossed on rafts. A player who lands on a raft (this can only happen with an exact throw of the die) may immediately move the raft and the gold miner figure across the lake, to any space on the opposite banks of the same lake. No additional throws are necessary.

In the player's next turn, he moves off the raft, leaving it on the bank and proceeds along the land spaces. The raft can then be used by other players in their turns. Only one figure may stand on a raft at any one time. A player using the raft can consider his or her gold safe while crossing the lake.

End of the Game

The game ends when the locomotive reaches the last track space in Golden City. Each player counts the nuggets and captured robbers that are safe in their gold miner's house. Each nugget counts one point and each robber chip counts two points. Gold discoveries that are still lying open on the table do not count. The winner is the player with the most points.
The game also ends when there are no more gold nuggets, no matter where the locomotive is located on the board.

Tips for Clever Gold Miners

Gold miners must always guard their gold carefully. Both robbers and other gold miners will want to collect as much as possible. It's a good idea to return to Golden City often in order to keep your discoveries safe.

Using rafts can shorten the distance to Golden City and to more gold discoveries!

For a more strategic game, a player can always pass on throwing the die and moving.