Monarchy: The Game of Kings
Monarchy: The Game of Kings Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Rules of Monarchy
The object of the game is to score the most points by collecting a combination of complete sets of names, houses or jubilee monarchs.
How to Play
Shuffle the cards. For 4 players deal 8 cards each, for 3 players 9 each and for 2 players 10 each. Spread out remaining cards face down. Each player reviews their hand to decide which sets they will try to collect. The number of cards in each set is indicated on the scorecard, which each player should have beside them for reference. It is also in brackets on each card, next to the monarch's name and house. The player to the left of the dealer begins by picking up any card, then discarding any card face up in its place. The next player now has a choice of the face up card or one facing down. Play continues clockwise, with each player exchanging a card on the table for one in their hand. If a card that is face down is picked up it may be discarded immediately, but if a face up card is chosen a different card must be discarded. Once all the cards on the table are face up you must always change a card when it is your turn.
Going Out and Scoring
Play continues in this manner until one player reveals a winning hand. This is done by declaring "Monarchy!", and may only be said at the end of your turn. You may go out without discarding if the final card picked up completes a set. Your hand is then checked to make sure that all cards held are in at least one complete set. If correct, then each player adds up and scores the complete sets in their hand. The value of each card relates to the number of years which that monarch reigned; refer to the scorecard for values of sets. All complete sets in a hand score, even if there is only one card in the set, for instance, Anne. Also, if you have a set which contains complete sets, say the Stuarts, which includes the James', Charles' and Anne, this would score 186; 100 for the Stuarts', 25 for the James', 49 for the Charles' and 12 for Anne.
Further hands are played until everyone has dealt, or an agreed total or time has been reached, and the winner is the one with the highest total score.
Scorecard
Set, number of cards in the set, and score, as printed on the scorecard. Sets marked + carry a jubilee footnote (see below).
Sets of Names, Houses and Jubilee Monarchs
| Set | Number of cards | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Jubilee Monarchs | 5 | 280 + |
| The Normans | 4 | 88 |
| The Angevins | 3 | 62 |
| The Plantagenets | 5 | 183 |
| The House of Lancaster | 3 | 63 |
| The House of York | 3 | 23 |
| The Tudors | 5 | 118 |
| The Stuarts | 6 | 100 |
| The House of Hanover |
Individual Monarchs
| Monarch | Number of cards | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Anne | 1 | 12 |
| Charles | 2 | 49 |
| Edward | 8 | 141 |
| Elizabeth | 2 | 95 + |
| George | 6 | 158 |
| Henry | 8 | 251 |
| James | 2 | 25 |
| John | 1 | 17 |
| Mary | 2 |
Note on the printed card: the scorecard lists the card count for each set in the "Number of cards" column; the printed scores are as shown above. The Normans' score is printed with a small mark in front of it, read here as 88.
Jubilee Note
The scorecard footnote reads, in full: + These totals were calculated in 2002, the year of Queen Elizabeth II's golden jubilee. In order to keep the game up to date you can add one point to the set of Jubilee Monarchs, House of Windsors and Elizabeths, for every year she reigns over 50 years.
The card does not list which cards belong to the Jubilee Monarchs set; the footnote is transcribed as printed.