Klondike 1896 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game 1 – Family Game
  • Equipment
  • Object of the game
  • Description of landscape
  • Preparation
  • Playing a round
    • 1) Selecting – auctioning a claim
    • 2) Placing the claim
    • 3) Counting points
    • 4) Bidding on an additional claim
    • New round
    • Adding claims
  • Ending the game
  • Winner of the game
    • Tips
• Game 2 – for experienced gold miners
  • Equipment
  • Object of the game
  • Preparation
  • Playing the game
  • Ending the game
  • Special rules for two players
  • Special rules for children under 8 years of age
  • Ending the game

Game 1 – Family Game

Number of players: 2–4 Age: 8+ Duration: 20 – 40 minutes

Equipment

16 (4 x 4) landscape boards, 4 x 2 blocks (gold miners), 32 rubies, 1 scorecard, 116 claims (10 types of claims x 10 + 1x16).

(The claim types are shown in the rulebook illustrations, "Types claims". One claim type is marked "Additional claim" and is only used for the additional-claim auction; the rulebook marks a separate claim as "Only for Game 2 with special rules for children under 8 years of age".)

Object of the game

The object of the game is to get the most gold pieces (points) by occupying the territory on the map in front of you. You receive one point for each piece of gold you take. Along the way, players can also collect rubies which allow them to obtain better or even additional claims.

Description of landscape

Green spaces represent meadows and bring in nothing. Brown spaces provide gold (this space brings in three gold pieces). Grey spaces provide rubies (this space brings in one ruby).

Preparation

Each player receives four landscape boards (each player has 4 plates with same number on back side). Each player lies the boards down alongside one another in a line, coloured side up (illus. 3). It does not matter in which order or direction the boards are placed (more experienced players can increase the difficulty level by making sure everybody's boards are placed identically). Each player receives two blocks of the same colour. They place one block at the Start on the scorecard, while the other block is for showing which claims they are bidding on.

Six rows of claims are placed in random order in the centre of the table. Each row contains the same number of claims as there are players. A row may not contain two claims that have the same shape. For example, if there are four players, six rows of four claims are placed on the table.

Each player receives three rubies at the start of the game. For the duration of the game, it remains public knowledge how many rubies each player has. The other rubies stay in the common pot.

(Illustration 2 shows an example of how cards are dealt out for four players: "Here is located a total of six rows". The players select from the first row in the first round, and from the second row in the second round.)

Additional claims are not dealt out into the rows and stay in the common pot.

Playing a round

1. Selecting – auctioning a claim
2. Placing the claim
3. Scoring
4. Auctioning off and placing an additional claim

1) Selecting – auctioning a claim

The players choose who will start. Players take turns clockwise around the table. Players can use rubies as money in auctions. The first player places their pawn in front of the claim they select. The next player does likewise. If a player is interested in a claim where a pawn has already been placed, they place their colour pawn by the claim and put at least one ruby more on the claim than the rival's pawn already at the claim had put down. When this occurs, the player that has been outbid must either increase the number of rubies in order to have the highest number of rubies on the claim, or remove the pawn and select a different claim. When moving a pawn to another claim, the player can take back any rubies they put down on a claim and place the pawn on a new space without the rubies. These moves repeat until all the pawns are standing alone by their own claims.

In the course of bidding, players can repeatedly return to claims that they already bid on (if, of course, they offer more for the claim than the player who already has a pawn on the claim). Rubies and pawns can be put in front of unoccupied claims. Once the bidding ends, each player surrenders the corresponding number of rubies they put down with the pawn to the common pot and places the claim they won on the landscape board.

Sample auction: Four claims are being auctioned – a cross-shaped claim, a square claim, an L-shaped claim and a Z-shaped claim. George's pawn is by the cross-shaped claim. No rubies are under the pawn. As Joe is also interested in the cross-shaped claim, he places his pawn plus one ruby by the claim. Because two pawns are now by a single claim, the turn goes back to George. George puts two rubies by his pawn. The turn goes back to Joe, who takes back his ruby and places his figure on the square claim. Now it is Peter's turn. He places three rubies by the cross-shaped claim where George's pawn is. George takes his pawn and two rubies back, and places his pawn and one ruby on the square claim. Joe takes his pawn and places it on the L-shaped claim that is still open. Mike places his pawn on the Z-shaped claim. Now everyone has a pawn by one claim. Peter puts three rubies and George two rubies into the common pot. Joe and Mike do not surrender any rubies because they got their claims for free.

2) Placing the claim

The players put down the claims at their own discretion with the aim of covering the most gold pieces or rubies. Claims must be placed so as to form a continuous path from start to finish. One side or at least a corner of the claim must touch the last claim placed on the board (illus. 3). The first claim is put down on the landscape board so that it covers at least one of the two middle spaces on the board at the far left. The finish is at the two middle spaces on the right side of the last board (illus. 4).

The claims must touch the top and bottom sides at least once on the second board and once on the third board (illus. 4).

(Illustration 4 marks: the start is at these two spaces; the finish is on these spaces; on this place the claim covers the space and touches the upper edge; on this place the claim covers the space and touches the lower edge.)

Connecting claims: Further claims are placed so that a side or corner touches the last claim that was placed (illus. 5). The claim may not go beyond the playing board. If the player cannot meet these conditions, the claim is not used.

(Illustration 5: "The new claim touches the corner" and "The new claim touches the side" are valid placements. A claim that "does not connect to the last claim placed on the board" cannot be placed.)

A claim may only be placed so that the illustration of the gold digger is face up. It may not be turned over and placed face down.

3) Counting points

After the claims are placed, all the players count points. Players receive one point for each gold piece that was covered (illus. 6). The player immediately advances by this number of points on the scorecard (illus. 7). Players receive a ruby for each ruby that was covered. Players keep these rubies separately and can use them in the next round.

(Illustration 6: "In this illustration, the player receives four points and two rubies.")

4) Bidding on an additional claim

After all the players have placed their claims on the board, an additional claim can be auctioned off/purchased. In each round, only one additional two-space claim can be auctioned off.

THIS CLAIM IS NOT DEALT OUT TO THE ROWS. IT CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED IN A SUPPLEMENTARY AUCTION for at least four rubies. The first player (the one which started this round and placed pawns to claims as the first) either places their pawn and at least four rubies on the claim, or announces that they are not interested in the additional claim. Then the next player continues, either placing their pawn and a higher number of rubies on the claim or saying they are not interested in the claim. If a player places a pawn with more rubies on the claim, the player with fewer rubies takes back their pawn (and rubies). The auction continues clockwise until no more players are interested in raising the stake. The claim is won by the player whose pawn remained by the claim. The player who bought the additional claim places this claim on the board under the same conditions as a claim won in a normal round, counts up the points, takes the corresponding number of rubies and starts the next round. If no one is interested in the auction, the game goes on to a new round.

New round

Now the player to the left of the player who began the last round starts to place their pawn on the claims.

Adding claims

If a last row of claims for auction is left on the board, another six rows of claims are added.

Ending the game

The game ends in the round in which at least one player reaches the finish. All players put down their claims, and the additional claim is purchased (auctioned). After this, points are deducted from the score card of each player who did not reach the finish. Two points are deducted for each column remaining to the end of the playing board (illus. 8). Players who touched the right edge of the board (except the middle two squares) also deduct two points.

(Illustration 8: "This player deducts two points from their final score" – "The finish is on these squares"; "This player deducts eight points from their final score" – "The finish is on these squares".)

Winner of the game

The winner of the game is the player who got the most gold (their pawn advanced farthest on the score card). In case of a tie, the number of rubies the player got decides the game.

Tips

1. Experienced players can set up identical boards. Each player sets up their boards the same as the other players.
2. If the players want to be able to bluff, the number of rubies each player has remains secret for the duration of the game.
3. If you want to change the playing board, try the following: Place four playing boards in a square. The players put down their first claim as they wish. They then place claims in accordance with the rules for the basic version. The player's task is then to cover the designated spaces on all four edges and in the centre (illus. 8). The game ends in the round when at least one player completes this task. Two points are deducted for each square the other players have remaining to finish the task – the shortest path is counted. The other rules apply the same.

(Illustration 9: "The player must cover at least one of the spaces marked in the frame".)

Game 2 – for experienced gold miners

Number of players: 2–4 Age: 8+ Duration: 20 – 40 minutes

"The players are gold diggers in Dawson City. Elections are on for the city council. A spot on the council can only be won by being the player to react fastest to demands for gold and rubies made by the city's celebrities (the sheriff, mayor, brothel madam and horse trader). Satisfying them will win their favour and a spot for the prospector on the city council."

Equipment

16 (4 x 4) landscape boards, 4 x 4 blocks (gold miners), 1 scorecard (influence card), 4 x 11 claims (each player receives one claim of each type), 32 popularity cards in four different colours (illus. 10), 31 request cards (illus. 11).

Object of the game

After drawing cards with numbers showing amounts of gold and rubies, the object of the game is to set up a landscape and cover the precious metal and gems you need. For meeting these demands, the players win favour which can help them win a seat on the city council.

Preparation

Each player receives a set of landscape boards (four boards). Each player then receives a set of claims so that they have one of each type (11 cards), which they then place in front of them. A pack of request cards is taken (illus.11). These cards bear yellow and red numbers. Yellow numbers show how many gold pieces have to be covered in the round; red numbers show how many rubies must be covered. The pack of request cards are picked from the whole stack of request cards so that the pack contains three randomly selected cards of each face colour (white – shortest, gray – middle, black – longest). These nine cards are shuffled and placed in the middle of the table face down. The other request cards are returned to the box for the remainder of the game.

The same number of popularity cards as players are pulled from the pack of popularity cards (1 player = 1 card) and are placed face up on the table (illus. 10). A scorecard (illus. 11) is placed on the table and each player places their pawns on the card – always one pawn on each popularity card colour (red – brothel madam, black – sheriff, blue – mayor, green – horse trader). The player places their pawn on level 4 of each popularity scale.

Playing the game

One of the players turns over the top request card. At that moment, each player turns over the landscape boards and builds a connected landscape of one to up to four boards next to one another in any order they wish. Each player tries to place claims as quickly as possible so as to cover the needed number of gold pieces and rubies. The rules for placing claims are the same as in Game 1. The start is in the centre two fields of the first column of the first board. The claims must connect, and the next claim can only be connected to the last claim placed on the board. Players select individual claims from their set at their discretion. The first player who precisely covers (or thinks that they have covered) the needed number of pieces and rubies takes any popularity card they wish from the table as quickly as possible. After they cover the required number of pieces and rubies, the other players take the remaining cards they wish as quickly as possible. The player who is last takes the remaining card and does not finish covering the gold pieces and rubies on the board. In addition, this player decides whom they will "join up" with for the round. Then, one by one, the players start to uncover their claims and together they check whether everyone covered the necessary number of gold pieces and rubies. Players who covered the needed number of gold and rubies add the number of points depicted on the popularity card they took from the table to the corresponding popularity scale. If it is found that a player did not complete the task (did not cover or covered too many pieces of gold and rubies needed), they do not add the popularity on the card to their score, but instead deduct it. If their popularity scale has reached zero, no more points are deducted. The player who did not finish covering gold pieces and rubies adds or deducts the same number of points as the player they "joined up" with.

Example: Before the start of the round, the following popularity cards were drawn: The player placed three claims (shapes) on the first space, covering ten pieces of gold and one ruby. After finishing covering gold pieces and rubies, the results are checked. Mike, who went first, selects a red popularity card with four requests. George picks a blue popularity card with two watches, leaving a green popularity card with a horseshoe for Paul. Paul then announces that he will join up with Mike. When checking the results it is found that Mike covered the right number of pieces, and he moves his pawn four spaces forward on the red popularity scale (he has four garters on the popularity card). George, in second place, finds that he covered one gold piece too many and moves his pawn two spaces back on the blue popularity scale (he has two watches on the popularity scale). Because Paul, who is in third place, had joined up with Mike, who in turn satisfied the request, Paul can add one point to the green scale (he has one horseshoe on the popularity card).

(Illustration 12 shows the board state for this example.)

After adding and subtracting popularity, the players pick up the landscape boards, shuffle them and again place them face down in front of them. Used popularity cards are put in the discard deck. Newly drawn popularity cards are then put down and a new round can begin. If the popularity cards run out, the discard deck is shuffled and used again.

Ending the game

The game ends after the ninth round (after nine request cards are used). (The printed text reads "nice request cards"; "nine" is the evident intended word.) After this round, the players find out how popular each player is with each celebrity. The player who went farthest on the red popularity scale receives eight points. The player in second receives six points, the third player four points and the fourth player two points. Points are counted this way for all of the local celebrities. Then each player's total popularity levels are counted and the players receive points according to their ranking: 4–3–2–1. In case of a tie, the players receive the number of points for the lower ranking (if the players in second and third place have the same number of points, both receive the points for third place). The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, the total sum for all popularity scales decides the winner.

Example: Awarding Points. In a game between three players, the blue player received eight popularity points from the madam, four points from the sheriff, eight points from the mayor and six points from the horse trader. For highest number of popularity pieces the blue gets 4 points. In total, the blue player received 30 points. The brown player received 6+6+6+6+3=27 points. The green player got 4+8+2+2+2 points for a total of 18 points. Blue player is a winner.

Special rules for two players

If two players are playing, three popularity cards are available. In the final round, only the player who won adds popularity points.

Special rules for children under 8 years of age

If younger children (under 8) are playing, only white and gray request cards (the short and middle cards) are used in the deck. It is enough for children to just cover the higher number on the request card (if the yellow number is higher, they need only cover the gold pieces, and any number of rubies can be covered; if the red number is higher, only the number of rubies must be covered and it does not matter how many gold pieces are covered). Adult players must satisfy the entire request card. Children can use an additional claim.

Ending the game

The game ends after the ninth round. The player with the highest number of points wins.

(Illustration 13 shows a scorecard. Illustration 14, captioned "Game for 3 players ready", shows the set-up for three players: four request cards laid out on each side, the landscape boards and the popularity cards.)