Marrakech Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Contents
• Preparation
• Playing the Game
  • 1. Moving Assam
  • 2. Payments Between Salespeople
  • 3. Laying Rugs
• End of the Game
• Two Player Rules
• Variant

Object of the Game

The rug market in Marrakesh square is in suspense: the best merchant will soon be named. Each merchant tries to have the highest number of rugs visible at the end of the game while also amassing the biggest fortune. The player with the biggest fortune (worked out by adding together the number of visible rugs and the amount of money held by each salesperson) wins.

Contents

The Rug Market square (board), 60 cloth rugs (4 sets of 15), 21 «1» pieces, 21 «5» pieces, Assam the market owner and one wooden die.

Preparation

Place Assam in the centre of the market square (see fig.1). Each player receives 30 Dirhams (5 «1» pieces and 5 «5» pieces). If there are 3 players, each receives 15 rugs of the same color which they place in front of them. If there are 4 players, each receives 12 rugs of the same color. Decide who plays first. Play continues in a clockwise direction with each player taking their turn.

Playing the Game

In turn, players make the following three moves:

1. they move Assam;
2. if necessary, they pay their opponent;
3. they then lay one of their own rugs.

1. Moving Assam

The player chooses in which direction they want to move Assam before throwing the die; Assam can be left alone or turned 90° left or right (he cannot turn 180°) (see fig. 2).

The player then throws the die: the number of slippers indicated on the die determines how many squares Assam is moved. Assam moves in a straight line (not diagonally) in the direction initially selected. If Assam leaves the market, he follows the about-turn signalled by the mosaics (the mosaics do not count as a move) (see fig. 3).

2. Payments Between Salespeople

If Assam ends his move on an opposing player's rug, the player must make a payment to the rug's owner. The amount owed is equal to the number of squares adjoining the square that Assam has landed on which are covered by rugs of the same colour: the player must pay the same amount as the number of squares covered. The sides of the squares must be touching; it does not count if they only touch diagonally; Assam's square counts towards the payment (see fig.4).

The player makes no payment if Assam ends his move on an empty square or on one of the player's own rugs.

If a player runs out of money, they pay what they can and are out of the game. Their unplaced carpets are put back in the game box. The carpets they have already placed remain on the market, and become neutral; the other players do not pay when they land on them.

3. Laying Rugs

The player then lays one of their rugs next to the square where Assam has finished: an edge of the rug must be placed against one of the 4 sides of this square. (See fig. 5)

A rug can be placed on:

• two empty squares;
• an empty square and half a rug (whatever its colour);
• two halves of different rugs.

An opponent's rug cannot be entirely covered in one go (it can only be covered completely by two rugs). (See fig. 5a, 5b, 5c)

End of the Game

The game ends once the last rug is laid. Each half of a rug visible and each Dirham counts as one point. The player with the most points wins the game. In the case of a tie, the player with the most Dirhams wins.

Two Player Rules

Each player receives 30 Dirhams and 24 rugs of 2 different colours; they should be mixed together in a pile. The rugs are then laid in order from the pile.

Play proceeds following the 3 or 4 player version indicated above.

Variant

Players take the following actions in order each turn:

1. they throw the die
2. they move Assam
3. they pay a fine to an opponent (if necessary)
4. they lay one of their own rugs
5. they rotate Assam a quarter turn

The next player is forced to move Assam in the direction he is now facing.