Gelati Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Goal of the Game
• Setup
• Quick Game Overview
• A Turn
• Step 1: Place an Ice Cream Tile
• Step 2: Check for Four in a Row
• Step 3: Complete a Secret Ice Cream Order
• Step 4: Draw a New Ice Cream Tile
• Trading Ice Cream Parts
• What If You Can't Place Your Ice Cream Tiles?
• What If a Part Is Unavailable?
• End of the Game
• Scoring

Game Components

• Ice cream tiles: 64
• Ice cream parts: 48
  • 4 different ice cream cups
  • 4 different ice cream flavors
  • 4 different toppings
• Ice cream orders (printed as "ijsbestellingen", Dutch for "ice cream orders"): 16
• Score board: 1
• Score markers: 4

An ice cream consists of three parts: the cup, a flavor and a topping.

Goal of the Game

In Gelati, the goal is to be the first to reach 50 points. You can score points in two ways:

1. Place a tile next to one or more tiles already on the table. The more adjacent matches, the more points you score.
2. Secret orders: Collect ice cream parts to complete secret orders and earn 15 points!

Setup

1. All players choose a color and place their score marker on zero at the top of the scoreboard.
2. Place 4 random ice cream tiles in a cross shape in the middle of the table.
3. Each player receives 2 random ice cream tiles and 2 random ice cream orders. Keep these secret from the other players.
4. Shuffle the remaining ice cream tiles and stack them face down (in one or more stacks) within reach of all players.
5. Also, place the ice cream orders face down in a draw pile next to the play area.
6. Sort all ice cream parts and place them next to the play area.
7. Choose a starting player, and the game can begin.

Editor's note: the page also shows a two-player setup diagram captioned "Setup voor twee spelers" (Dutch for "Setup for two players"), with player labels "Speler 1" and "Speler 2". The diagram is not described in the rules text and is not transcribed.

Quick Game Overview

Players take turns clockwise, placing one of their ice cream tiles into the play area. Try to place your tile as strategically as possible by aligning it with as many sides as possible and/or forming four in a row. After placing a tile, scoring points, and possibly completing a secret order, the next player takes their turn.

A Turn

A turn consists of the following four steps:

1. Place an ice cream tile and score points.
2. Check for four in a row.
3. Complete a secret order (if possible).
4. Draw a new ice cream tile.

Step 1: Place an Ice Cream Tile

You may place your ice cream tile anywhere in the play area as long as it follows these two rules:

• An ice cream tile must touch at least one side of an already placed tile.
• All adjacent ice creams must share at least one matching ice cream part.

Before placing the tile, you may rotate it any way you like. The number of sides that touch (and thus match) with another ice cream determines the number of points you earn. The more sides, the better (see table on the back). If the tile you place only touches one other tile, you score no points.

Correct placement. The tile touches 3 sides (all matching). Placement is correct, and you earn 3 points (see table on the back).

Correct placement, no points. The tile touches only 1 side (matching with a strawberry). Placement is correct, but you earn no points.

Incorrect placement. The tile touches 3 sides, but only 2 match with your tile. The 3rd side does not match, so placement is not allowed.

Step 2: Check for Four in a Row

If your placed ice cream tile creates a row or column of 4 or more of the same ice cream parts, you earn that ice cream part as a token from the supply. If your tile creates multiple sets of 4 or more ice cream parts, you earn multiple parts.

Four in a row example. By placing this tile, you create a row of four chocolate scoops (A) and a row of four blue cups (B). You earn both parts from the supply. Additionally, the tile has two matching sides, so you earn 1 point for placing it.

Note: Adding a 5th tile to an existing set of 4 does not earn extra parts. You may place it as the 5th tile but only earn points for the matching sides.

Step 3: Complete a Secret Ice Cream Order

If you have all three parts of your secret order, you may complete it and earn 15 points. Show your order to the other players, return the parts to the supply, and place the ice cream order on a discard pile. Move your score marker forward by 15 points and draw a new order from the stack.

For example, if you have the paper cup, strawberry ice cream, and a cookie, you can complete your order and earn 15 points.

Step 4: Draw a New Ice Cream Tile

Draw a new tile from the stack. The next player takes their turn.

Trading Ice Cream Parts

If you've collected parts that you can't use for your orders, you may trade them for other parts. Do this by returning two parts and taking one part of your choice from the supply (trade 2:1).

At the end of your turn, you may hold a maximum of five ice cream parts. If you earn a sixth, you must discard one, trade two for one, or use three to complete an order.

In this example, you could exchange the second vanilla ice cream and the cookie for a paper cup to complete the order.

What If You Can't Place Your Ice Cream Tiles?

If you can place a tile, you must. If none of your tiles fit, show them to the other players so they can verify. If none fits, you may exchange one tile for the top tile of the stack. Repeat this until you draw a tile that can be placed. Shuffle returned tiles back into the stack.

What If a Part Is Unavailable?

If the supply runs out of a specific part, you're out of luck! You receive nothing if the part is unavailable.

End of the Game

The game can end in two ways:

1. If a player reaches the ice cream cart on the beach with 50 (or more) points, the game ends immediately. That player is declared the ice cream master of Gelati (until the next game, of course).
2. If the supply of tiles runs out, the game continues until all players have placed the tiles from their hand. If the cart has not been reached, the player closest to it wins.

The sweetest strategy wins!

Scoring

Each tile has six sides. The more sides that touch (and thus match) with another ice cream, the more points you earn for placing your ice cream tile.

• 1 side = 0 points
• 2 sides = 1 point
• 3 sides = 3 points
• 4 sides = 6 points
• 5 sides = 10 points
• 6 sides = 15 points

Complete an order and earn 15 points.

Editor's note: the scoring card prints "Compleet an order"; it is transcribed here as "Complete an order".