FTW?!
FTW?! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
IDEA OF THE GAME
In each round of FTW?! you try to play your cards, so you preferably keep only 1 card with a high number. It is possible that you get rid of less cards than the other players. As soon as a player only has 1 card left in their hand, you score plus points for your highest card, but minus points for all additional cards in your hand.
CONTENTS
- 60 cards (numbered from "1" to "60")
- 1 rule sheet
LET US INTRODUCE RONALD ...
FTW?! is easy to learn. Even so, you may have questions. As you will see, Ronald already asked most of them. And if Ronald understands how to play this game, then everybody will understand it.
Yes, Ronald, FTW?! means "For the Win?!".
GAME PREPARATION
You need the following cards depending on the number of players:
- 2 - 3 players: cards "1" - "36"
- 4 players: cards "1" - "48"
- 5 - 6 players: cards "1" - "60"
Place the remaining cards in the game box. You do not need them for this game.
Lay out a pen and paper for scoring your points.
HOW TO PLAY
You play a number of rounds in FTW?! matching the number of players. Determine a starting player for the first round. In the following rounds the next player in clockwise direction will be the new starting player.
During a round, in clockwise turn order, you play the cards in your hands on a common faceup discard pile OR you place them faceup in front of you. The round ends immediately as soon as a player only has 1 card in their hand. Then, you score the cards in your hands.
Yes, Ronald, this is no game rule: If you only have 2 cards left in your hand, you announce this to play fair. This way, the other players still can react on this and do not continuously ask you how many cards you still have in your hand.
Deal cards
Shuffle all cards at the start of the round and deal all of them as follows, before you take them in your hands:
- 2 players: Both players get 12 cards. Place the remaining 12 cards face down to the side, without looking at them.
- 3 - 5 players: Each player gets 12 cards.
- 6 players: Each player gets 10 cards.
Look at your cards and simultaneously pass 3 cards to the player to your right. After everybody passed 3 cards, take the cards you received in your hand.
Yes, Ronald, this way you know 3 cards, that the player can play before it is your turn.
Example: After you looked at the cards in your hand, you choose 3 cards and pass them to the player to your right. Afterward, you take the 3 cards you received in your hand.
Play cards
In clockwise order, always play 1 of the cards in your hand face up. When it is your turn, you can choose between 3 options:
A) Place 1 card with a higher number on the common discard pile
If there is (still) no discard pile, choose any 1 card from your hand and start the faceup discard pile. If there are one or more cards on the discard pile, you must place 1 card with a higher number than the top card on it.
Yes, Ronald, you can play a card with any higher number. It does not need to be the next higher number. And yes, you can always check the cards in the discard pile; you do not need to memorize them.
Example: It is your turn and you place the "23" on top of the discard pile.
B) Place a card with a lower number in front of you
Choose 1 card in your hand with a lower number than the top card of the discard pile and place it faceup in front of you. This card counts as played and is not in your hand anymore. It is now an auxiliary card, that will help you later!
Now, you must choose 1 card from the discard pile, so the other players can see its number. Take the chosen card in your hand and place the remaining cards of the discard pile face down to the side. The next player plays any 1 card from their hand and starts a new faceup discard pile with that card.
Yes, Ronald, in this case you really cannot place a card with a higher number in front of you. But you can place 1 lower card in front you even if you have a card with a high enough number in your hand that you could place on the discard pile. And yes, afterwards you have again the same number of cards in your hand, but hopefully a better selection than before.
Example: You do not want to play a card with a higher number and instead place the "6" in front of you. You take the "25" from the faceup discard pile in your hand and place the remaining cards from the discard pile face down to the side. Then, you have again 10 cards in your hand.
C) With help – Place 1 card with a lower number on the common discard pile
When you have one or more faceup auxiliary cards in front of you, you can use their help to place 1 card with a lower number on the discard pile.
Add the numbers of one or more auxiliary cards to the number of your chosen card in hand – if the total sum is higher than the number of the top card of the discard pile, place your lower number on it. Place the used auxiliary card(s) face down to the side; you can use them only once during the game.
Yes, Ronald, this way the number on top of the discard pile gets lower for a change.
Example: You want to keep the "34" in your hand for scoring. Thanks to your auxiliary cards in front of you, instead you can play the "2". With help of the "6" and "11" you get a total sum of 19 and place the "2" on the discard pile. Then, you place the "6" and "11" face down to the side, as you can use them only once for this cause. You keep the faceup "19" in front of you, so hopefully you can still play the "7" or "13" in a later turn.
END OF THE ROUND & SCORING
The round immediately ends, when 1 player has only 1 card left in their hand after taking their turn.
Yes, Ronald, you cannot end the round by placing your second to last card in front of you. Then, you must take 1 card from the discard pile in your hand and thus have again 2 cards in your hand.
You score plus points for the card with the highest number in your hand, but you must subtract the numbers of all the other cards in your hand from these plus points. Ignore the auxiliary cards in front of you!
Example: At the end of the round you still have the "7" and "34" in your hand. Thus, you score 27 plus points: 34 plus points - 7 points. Ignore the faceup "19".
Note the scored plus points. If you have a negative result, instead note 0 points.
Shuffle all cards and start the next round.
END OF THE GAME
You win FTW?! after the last round, if you scored the most plus points!
CREDITS
- Author: Friedemann Friese
- Graphics & Layout: Harald Lieske
- Proofreading: Linus Wolf, Ronald Hrkać, Christian Frank, Jay Tummelson
- Editing and Realization: Henning Kröpke
Copyright 2023, 2F-Spiele, Bremen/Germany