Kōhaku: The Big Pond Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Classic Kōhaku
• Module 1 - Sundials
  • Set-up
  • Sundial Game play
• Module 2 - Hidden Objectives
  • Set-up
  • Hidden Objective Game play
• Module 3 - Blue Koi
  • Set-up
  • Blue Koi Game play
• Module 4 - New Feature Tiles
  • Set-up
  • New Feature Tiles
• The Big Pond
  • Overview
  • Set-up
  • Game play
  • End game
  • Final scoring
• Solo Update
  • Overview
  • Set-up
  • Game play, end game, and scoring
• Hidden Objective FAQ
• Feature Quick Reference
• Tile Breakdown
  • Solid Koi (Base Game)
  • Two-Tone Koi (Base Game)
  • Features (Base Game)
  • Features (The Big Pond)
• Quick Set-up

Components

• 36 Feature tiles
• 4 Blue Koi tiles
• 12 Player markers
• 1 Draft token
• 1 Start player token
• 20 Block tiles
• 16 Coins
• 4 Sundials
• 18 Compass cards
• 18 Hidden Objective cards
• 1 Pond board

Classic Kōhaku

Choose any number of the following modules to add to the base game. Sundials make where you place tiles matter more. Goals give you personal secret ways to score extra points. Blue koi are wild and can substitute for other colors. Six new feature tiles can be mixed and matched with the base game feature tiles to add new ways to play.

Module 1 - Sundials

Set-up

Each player takes a sundial and places it in front of them. The sundial is considered a feature and will be the starting tile for your pond. After setting up the base game as normal, shuffle the compass cards then place them in a face-down deck near the central pond. Deal 1 card face up next to the sundial deck for each of the 4 directions (North, East, South, West). If you draw a card for a feature that you are not using this game, draw a new card until all 4 directions are populated.

Sundial Game play

The game is played the same way as the base game of Kōhaku. However, the sundial cards provide additional ways to earn points at the end of the game. Each player earns bonus points by correctly positioning koi and/or features in their pond relative to their sundial.

At the end of the game, each player will score bonus points for each of the four directions which will be added to their base score.

The edge of the sundial extends as far as your pond in all 4 directions. For example, a tile can be both NORTH and WEST of your sundial at the same time.

Scoring example: The sundial deck from the set-up example (on the previous page) awards 2 points for every coin featured on a koi tile to the NORTH of your sundial and every koi tile with fish containing red to the WEST.

• Dragonfly: Earn 1 bonus point for each individual dragonfly appearing on koi tiles.
• Baby koi: Earn 1 bonus point for each individual baby koi appearing on koi tiles.
• White: Earn 1 bonus point for each koi tile with fish containing white.
• Yellow: Earn 1 bonus point for each koi tile with fish containing yellow.
• Red: Earn 1 bonus point for each koi tile with fish containing red.
• Black: Earn 1 bonus point for each koi tile with fish containing black.
• Coin: Earn 2 bonus points per coin appearing on koi tiles (solid color fish).
• Statue: Earn 3 bonus points for each statue feature tile.
• Rock: Earn 3 bonus points for each rock feature tile.
• Flower: Earn 1 bonus point for each individual flower. Include both flowers on dual flower tiles; wildflowers count as 1 each. Don't include the small pink flowers on the butterfly tiles.
• Turtle: Earn 3 bonus points for each turtle feature tile.
• Frog: Earn 3 bonus points for each frog feature tile.

Module 2 - Hidden Objectives

Set-up

Shuffle the hidden objective deck and deal 2 cards to each player. Players will choose one of these cards and return the other one to the deck. The chosen card is kept secret from other players. Look at the black bar at the bottom of your hidden objective cards. If any of the cards you were dealt require features you are not playing with, discard them and draw a new card until you have 2 valid hidden objective cards to choose from.

Hidden Objective Game play

At the end of the game, each player reveals their hidden objective card and earns bonus points based on the tiles in their pond.

If your cards have black bars at the bottom, make sure you are playing with all required features to use that hidden objective.

Example cards (as shown in the draft):

• Curious Cats - Earn 5 bonus points for each cat feature tile with 3 koi tiles adjacent to it. (Bar: CATS)
• Creature Keeper - Earn 3 bonus points for each set of turtle and frog feature tiles in your pond. (Bars: FROGS, TURTLES)

Module 3 - Blue Koi

Set-up

After removing the indicated number of random tiles during set-up, remove an additional 4 tiles. Then shuffle in the blue koi before filling the central pond.

Blue Koi Game play

Blue koi are wild and are considered to be a single color of your choice when scoring. They can represent different colors for different scoring features.

Scoring example: In the example to the right, the player's blue koi tile can be used as black to satisfy the cat, then used as white or yellow (not both) to score 2 points for the dual flower, then used as yellow to help match the other solid color yellow koi to score to increase the bamboo score from 6 to 10 points. Note that it cannot help the frog score because blue koi do not feature dragonflies.

Module 4 - New Feature Tiles

Set-up

There are 6 new feature tiles. You will always use the 24 single color flowers, then you choose any other 6 features. These can be mixed and matched from the base set and this expansion. Set-up the koi tiles as described in the original rulebook.

Use all 24 Single Flowers.

Use the tiles from any 6 features, base and/or expansion.

New Feature Tiles

Bamboo Reeds - Bamboo reeds make a great gathering place. They attract a single type of koi. Score bamboo reeds according to the number of adjacent koi tiles with the exact same color or color combination.

1 KOI = 3 points, 2 KOI = 6 points, 3 KOI = 10 points, 4 KOI = 15 points.

The bamboo reeds on the left will score 10 points because there are 3 adjacent koi with the exact same color combination (red and white). The bamboo reeds on the right will only score 3 points because all 3 adjacent koi are different, so the player can only choose 1.

Cats - Cats are curious and want to watch different colored koi swim by. During scoring, cats earn 9 points if all 4 colors (black, white, red and yellow) are present at least once on adjacent koi tiles. If all colors are not present, they score 0 points instead. Cats are also on a shore; the edge with the rocks and grass cannot touch a koi tile in your pond, and no koi tiles may be placed there in the future. Cats cannot be rotated, the score must always be on the bottom (facing the same direction as all the other feature scoring). After placing your Cat, mark the edge with the shoreline using a block tile to remind you that you cannot add tiles there.

The orange cat will score 9 points because it can see all 4 colors on adjacent tiles. The black Cat will score 0 points because it cannot see yellow on any adjacent koi tiles. Both Cats added block tiles to their edges with the shoreline.

Mandarin Ducks - Mandarin ducks are social creatures and like to be in lots of ponds. Each mandarin duck will score 2 points for every mandarin duck tile present in every pond. This means in a 3 player game, if each player had 1 mandarin duck tile, all of the tiles would be worth 6 points each (3 tiles x 2 points).

Between these 3 ponds, there are a total of 4 mandarin duck tiles. This means all mandarin duck tiles are worth 8 points each (2 points x 4 mandarin duck tiles = 8 points). The black and yellow player will earn 8 total points, and the red player will earn 16 total points.

Fountains - Beautiful and serene, fountains will score 3 points for each unique feature that is diagonal to it. Fountains can score off each other. Single and dual flowers count as a single feature type each, regardless of what color they are showing.

The fountain in the center will score 9 points. It has 3 different features on its diagonals, wildflowers, fountain and single flowers. Note that even though the single flowers are different colors, they are still the same feature type so they only count once. The other fountain in the corner will score 3 because of the center fountain diagonal from it.

Herons - Herons are beautiful creatures, but will scare away any future fish. They score 8 points wherever they are. However, once placed in your pond, fish tiles cannot be placed adjacent to the heron on future turns. After placing your heron, mark any of its exposed edges with an X token to remind you that you cannot add tiles there.

Because herons will block off future spaces, make sure you plan for where you place them. The heron on the bottom is only blocking a single space because the 3 fish were already there when it was placed. The heron on the left however has blocked the player from finishing the yellow flower.

Wildflowers - Wildflowers work similarly to the single-color flowers from the base game. The difference is that you choose a single color during scoring. 1 point is given for every adjacent koi tile that contains the chosen color. If koi in the chosen color surround all 4 sides, then score 12 points instead.

The player chooses RED for their wildflower color in the middle and scores 12 points because all 4 sides have koi tiles featuring red. They choose BLACK for the upper left corner Wildflowers, and score 2 points because the Wildflowers are not surrounded on all sides with koi featuring black.

The Big Pond

Overview

The big pond is a new way to play Kōhaku. Instead of individual ponds, players will compete directly with each other as they build a single oversized pond.

Set-up

A: Place the new central pond board with the pond side up.

B: Place the original central pond board with the scoreboard side up off to the side.

Each player chooses a color and C places their scoring marker near the scoreboard and collects the D 3 player markers in their chosen color, along with 4 coins.

Koi tile deck: remove all of the solid color koi from the koi deck. Also, remove all 6 tiles with 3 stones. You will E use the 24 two-tone koi tiles with no stones and F the 12 with 4 stones from the base game, along with G the 4 blue koi tiles from this expansion. This creates a koi deck with 40 tiles.

Feature deck: shuffle H 4 of each color from the single flower tiles (16) with any other I 4 feature tile sets. This creates a feature deck with 40 tiles (42 if you use butterflies).

J: place the draft token on the upper left koi space on the central pond. Then, fill in the pond with face-up tiles from each deck, making sure to fill in koi tiles to koi spaces and feature tiles to feature spaces.

Finally, flip over a single koi tile from the top of the deck to the center of the table to start the big pond.

Game play

Give the first player token to the calmest player. Starting with the first player, then moving clockwise, players will take turns selecting koi and feature tiles to add to the big pond then marking the features with their player markers. On your turn, follow these steps in order.

Select tiles: you must select 2 adjacent tiles, 1 koi and 1 feature every turn. You can select the next koi and feature clockwise from the draft token for free. You would then take the next tile clockwise as well, this will always give you 1 koi and 1 feature, just like the base game. Alternatively, you may pay 1 coin for each tile you would like to skip in order to reach the koi and feature tile of your choice. You must always take tiles next to each other and can not leave gaps. If you select a tile with a coin on it, also take the coin into your supply. Coins are also worth 1 point each at the end of the game.

The red player pays 2 coins to skip the turtle and the yellow-white koi so they can take the red flower and the connected red-black koi.

Move the draft token and refill the board: move the marker clockwise to the furthest empty space on the central pond. Then fill in the blank spaces, making sure that you put koi and feature tiles in the appropriate spaces. It is possible that during this step, 2 koi tiles or 2 feature tiles will fill in instead of one of each.

Place tiles: place the tiles you just selected into the big pond. New tiles must be placed next to existing tiles, and they must alternate between koi and feature tiles (like a checkerboard). Simply put, a koi tile can never touch another koi tile. Once tiles have been placed in the big pond they cannot be moved or removed. The tiles you selected do not have to be next to each other when you place them. After placing both your tiles, place one of your player markers on the feature tile you just placed.

The red player adds their new tiles to The Big Pond. They find a great spot for their red flower and use their koi to disrupt the black player's yellow flower. Lastly, they add their player marker to their feature.

Scoring a feature (optional): after you place your tiles, you may choose to then score any of your marked features, including the one you just placed. Score the feature as normal, then score 1 bonus point for each koi tile next to the scoring feature that contains your player color. If you do not have any more scoring tokens, meaning you just placed your 3rd, you must score at least one of your features. (The draft prints "at lease"; read as "at least".) Any features not scored during the game will score at that end as normal.

The yellow player has placed their 3rd token and must now score one of them. They choose the token on their black flower earning them 4 points from the 2 koi that feature black adjacent to it and 3 bonus points from the 3 koi that feature yellow because that is their player color.

End game

When either the koi or feature tiles cannot fill in the board, the end game is triggered. Continue playing until each player has had the same number of turns. On the last player's turn, it is possible that there are not enough koi tiles available to refill the board. Ensure that tiles are filled in clockwise from the draft token, such that the empty koi space is directly counterclockwise to the draft marker.

Final scoring

Each player scores all of their remaining tiles with their player markers still on them, remember to also get your bonus points for fish of your color.

Players then score 1 point for each remaining coin they have. The player with the most points is the winner. If tied, the player with the most coins wins. If still tied then players share the victory.

Solo Update

Overview

The rival koi keepers are still at it! You can play the original solo rules with the new feature tiles and blue koi, and Sun dials. Hidden objectives are not compatible with solo.

Set-up

Features - Use all 24 of the single flowers and any 6 features of your choice.

Sundials - Set this up the same way you would for multiplayer games.

Blue koi - After setting up the koi deck, shuffle in the 4 blue koi. You do not need to remove any extra tiles for the solo mode.

Game play, end game, and scoring

The basic game play, end game, and scoring, are all the same as the original solo rules if you are not using any modules. See below for changes if using any.

• Mandarin Ducks - You will only count the number of mandarin ducks in your pond, ignore any taken by the rivals. So if you had 2 mandarin ducks and the rivals had 3, your ducks would be worth 4 points each, not 10.
• Blue koi - If a rival keeper flips over a blue koi, they will choose the koi type that gets them the most tiles, if tied they prefer solid koi, if still tied, you can choose what they take. When scoring, blue koi count as a solid color koi for the Black (hard) rival.
• Sundials - You will score your sundials you normally would in a multiplayer game. The rivals will earn flat bonus points. Easy earns 20, Medium earns 30 and Hard earns 40.

Hidden Objective FAQ

Classic Keeper - Count all koi tiles that contain either black or white, this includes solid koi or two-tone koi (white/black yellow, white/black red). Blue koi count towards this as well.

Colorful Keeper - Count all koi tiles that contain either red or yellow, this includes solid koi or two-tone koi (red/yellow black, red/yellow white). Blue koi count towards this as well.

Diverse Decorator - Single flowers, dual flowers and butterflies only count once each towards this even if they are different colors. If playing with the sundial, it is not counted as a unique feature for this goal.

Sculptor - This only counts for statues that are surrounded on all 4 sides by koi tiles.

Curious Cats - You will score the bonus points even if the cat's requirement (see one of each color) is not met. Any 3 koi tiles next to a cat will earn the 5 bonus points.

Feathered Friends - A set is 1 heron tile and 1 mandarin duck tile. If you had 3 herons, and 4 mandarin ducks, you would have 3 sets.

Fountain of Wealth - Blue koi do not have coins printed on their tiles so they do not count towards this. Only solid colored koi (red, yellow, black, and white).

Friendly Flies - Look at each of your koi tiles with dragonflies, if that koi tile is in the same row or column as at least 1 butterfly tile, then you earn 1 bonus point per dragonfly on your koi tile. Dragonflies will only earn a max 1 bonus point each, even if they have multiple butterfly tiles in their row and column.

Balanced Keeper - Each blue koi can only be a single color (your choice) they are not counted for each individual color.

Fry Free - The tile cannot have any baby koi on it. Blue koi will count towards this objective.

Florist - A set is 1 yellow, 1 red, 1 black, and 1 white. Both flowers are counted for dual flowers. Wildflowers are a single color of your choice.

Bug Repellent - The tile cannot have any dragonflies on it. Blue koi will count towards this objective.

Creature Keeper - A set is 1 frog tile and 1 turtle tile. If you had 3 frogs, and 4 turtles, you would have 3 sets.

Zen to be Square - The example shows a 4x4 "square" within the shape of the entire pond. 4x4 is the largest you can achieve.

Nosy Neighbor - Look at each individual feature type in your pond, then determine if you have more of that feature than the player to your left. If you are tied with the same amount you do not get the bonus points, you must have more.

Rainbow Rocks - Unique baby koi types mean different colors or color combinations. Red/white and red/yellow are two different koi types for example.

Simple Beauty - Each individual solid koi and blue koi count towards this objective, you don't need sets.

Through the Reeds - The koi tile must be exactly between two different bamboo reed tiles. Count each individual baby koi and dragonfly.

Feature Quick Reference

Cats - Cats perch on the shoreline, blocking future spaces while trying to see all 4 koi colors at least once on adjacent tiles to earn 9 points. If not, then they are worth 0.

Bamboo Reeds - Bamboo Reeds want to attract koi with the same color or color combination.

1 KOI = 3 points, 2 KOI = 6 points, 3 KOI = 10 points, 4 KOI = 15 points.

Dual Flowers - Score 2 points for every adjacent koi tile with fish that contain one flower's color. Score 3 points instead if the koi on the tile are both colors.

Butterflies - Examine every koi tile in the same row and/or column as the butterfly. Score 2 points for each of these koi tiles with fish that contain the butterfly's color.

Frogs - Hungry and helpful, frogs score 1 point for every individual dragonfly on each adjacent tile.

Fountains - Serene fountains score 3 points for each unique feature tile diagonal from it. They can score other fountains. Single, Dual and Wildflowers count once each towards unique features.

Herons - Beautiful, but dangerous, herons score you 8 points, but block any future koi from being played next to them. Take caution in where they are placed.

Mandarin Ducks - As social creatures, mandarin ducks are worth 2 points each multiplied by the total number of mandarin ducks in every pond.

Rocks - A perfect spot for babies to hide, score 1 point for every individual baby koi on each adjacent tile.

Single Flowers - Score 2 points for every adjacent koi tile with fish that contain the flower's color. If matching koi surround all four sides, then score 12 points instead.

Statues - Statues score according to the number of adjacent koi tiles, regardless of the color of fish on the koi tiles.

1 KOI = 1 point, 2 KOI = 3 points, 3 KOI = 6 points, 4 KOI = 10 points.

Turtles - Turtles are worth 5 points each, regardless of where they are in your pond.

Wildflowers - These act like the Single Flowers from the base game, except you decide to color when you score it. Earn 12 points if each side touches a koi with the color of your choice, otherwise score 1 point each.

Tile Breakdown

Solid Koi (Base Game)

4 of each. Each color has a double baby, triple baby, double dragonfly and triple dragonfly.

• Black
• Red
• White
• Yellow

Two-Tone Koi (Base Game)

7 of each total.

• 4 No Stones: Each combo has a double baby, triple baby, double dragonfly and triple dragonfly.
• 1 Three Stones: Each combo has 1 single baby with a single dragonfly.
• 2 Four Stones: Each combo has 2 single baby with a single dragonfly.

Combos: Black & Red, Black & White, Black & Yellow, Red & White, Red & Yellow, White & Yellow.

Features (Base Game)

• 24 Single Flowers (6 of each color)
• 6 Dual Flowers
• 6 Turtles
• 6 Frogs
• 6 Rocks
• 6 Statues
• 8 Butterflies (2 of each color)

Features (The Big Pond)

• 4 Blue Koi
• 6 Bamboo Reeds
• 6 Cats
• 6 Fountains
• 6 Herons
• 6 Mandarin Ducks
• 6 Wildflowers

Quick Set-up

Players	Exclude	Randomly Remove
1	3 & 4 Stones	0
2	3 & 4 Stones	7
3	4 Stones	5
4	Nothing	5

• Features: 24 Single Flowers, any 6 features.
• Blue Koi: remove 4 more koi tiles.