Nokosu Dice
Nokosu Dice Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 40 Number Cards (8 cards, numbered 0 through 7, in 5 colors)
- 4 Zero Tricks Declaration Cards
- 25 dice (5 colors, 5 dice each)
- 1 dice bag
- 2 rule sheets (EN, JP)
Overview
Note: Key game terms are bold.
Nokosu Dice is a trick-taking game for 3 or 4 players, each playing Number Cards (cards) and dice in their hand to win mini-games (tricks) and score points against the other players over multiple rounds. In each trick, each player plays a card or dice from their hand, and the winner of the trick scores a point. There is also a chance to win bonus points at the end of each round if the number of the tricks won in the round matches the last dice left OR if a player declares they would not win any trick (Zero Tricks) for the round and actually won no trick.
At the end of the game, the player with the most points is the winner.
In this game, the cards and dice are used in the same way. For example, a 4 blue card is equivalent to a 4 blue dice and vice versa.
What Does "Nokosu" Mean?
Nokosu (pronounce no-cos) is a Japanese verb that means "to leave". So, Nokosu Dice translates as "leaving a dice" or "a leftover dice", which is the key factor for scoring more points in this game.
"Hand" = Number Cards + Dice
In this game, similar Number Cards and dice have the same value. For example, a Number Card of 3 in blue is equivalent to a blue dice with 3.
When we refer to a player's hand, we mean the Number Cards plus the dice they have in front.
How to Play
The following instructions are for 4 players. For instructions for how to play with 3 players, please see "Rules for 3 Players".
Round Overview
A round is made up of 14 turns for each player, called "tricks". In every trick, each player plays either one card or one dice from their hand face up into the middle of the table: one player leads (plays the first card of the trick), and the other players follow (play the second card of the trick and on).
Each game is made up of 4 rounds. In each round, one player will be the dealer. For the first round, randomly select the dealer. For each round after that, the player to the left of the previous round's dealer becomes the dealer.
Deal the Cards
The dealer shuffles the deck of 40 Number Cards, and then deals each player 10 cards. Each player may look at their own hand but should keep their hand hidden from the other players.
Next, the dealer deals each player 1 Zero Tricks Card. (Each player places it in front of them face up.)
Draw Dice
The dealer places all the dice in the dice bag and mixes them well. Starting from the player on the dealer's left and then clockwise, each player draws 2 dice from the bag, rolls them, and places them in front of themselves.
After all the players take 2 dice each, the dealer draws 13 dice from the bag, rolls them, and places them in the middle of the table. The number on each dice should not be changed.
Starting with the player on the dealer's left and then clockwise, each player picks 1 dice from the dice placed in the middle of the table and places it next to the other dice they drew. (You can look at your Number Cards in your hand when you determine which dice to pick.)
Repeat this step until all players pick 3 dice each. There should be 1 dice left in the middle of the table. Leave it there.
Zero Tricks Declaration
After all players have drawn their dice, each player has the option to declare "Zero Tricks" to score bonus points in an alternative way. If declared, the player gets the bonus points only if they declare Zero Tricks and they lose all 14 tricks in the round.
Starting with the player on the dealer's left, each player says whether or not they are going to declare Zero Tricks. Once a player declares Zero Tricks, they immediately select one of the dice in front of them and returns it to the bag. The player then turns their Zero Tricks Declaration Card face down.
Players who chose to declare Zero Tricks are still playing the same number of Number Cards and dice (10 cards + 4 dice = 14). Zero Tricks plays have no leftover dice at the end of a round.
Note: Multiple players may declare Zero Tricks
Playing Tricks
To start a Round, the player on the dealer's left plays a card or dice from their hand to start the trick. The first card or dice becomes lead and the color of the card or dice becomes lead color for the trick. The rest of the players take turns clockwise to play a card or dice (follow). (When every player has played either a card or a dice, it's called a trick. 14 tricks make a round.)
Each player (follower) must play a card or dice in the lead color if they have one or more of the lead color cards or dice in their hand. If the lead color is also a trump, the followers must play a trump card or dice. (A trump is a card or dice in a hand that has special strength. Please see About Trump for details.)
If one of the followers does not have a card or dice in the lead color, they may play any card or dice.
For the second trick and on, the winner of the previous trick leads (starts) the trick. The leader can choose to play any card or dice from their hand.
About Trump
A trump is a card or dice with special strength. Any card or dice that has the same number or color (or both) as the dice in the middle of the table becomes a trump and has the special strength described below. The order of strength within trumps is as follows:
Compared to the dice in the center, a card or dice is:
- the same number and color — Stronger
- the same number
- the same color — Weaker
When the same color, the larger the number, the stronger the card or dice.
Example: A trump's strength when the dice in the center is a blue 4:
- Blue 4 (same number and color) — strongest
- Yellow 4, red 4, green 4, purple 4 (same number; all four colors have equal strength)
- Blue 7, blue 6, blue 5, blue 3, blue 2, blue 1, blue 0 (same color; the larger the number, the stronger the card or dice)
Example 1: When the dice in the center is a red 4 — the lead is a blue 6. Play any blue card or dice other than the trump (4): blue 7, 5, 3, 2, 1, 0.
Example 2: When the dice in the center is a blue 4 and the lead is a trump — the lead is a red 4, so Lead = Trump = 4. Play any trump card or dice: blue 4, purple 4, green 4, yellow 4, or blue 7, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1, 0.
Determining the Trick Winner
When all the players have played a card or dice from their hands, the winner of the trick is determined.
The player who played the highest number in the lead color wins the trick.
However, if any trump cards or dice have been played, the player who played the strongest trump card or dice wins the trick.
If two or more cards or dice of the same strength have been played, the last card or dice played wins the trick.
The winner of the trick takes all the cards and dice played in the trick and puts them nearby to show which player won the trick.
The winner starts the second trick and each subsequent trick is started by the previous trick winner.
About Leftover (nokosu) Dice
Over the course of 14 tricks for a round, each player must play all 10 Number Cards dealt and 4 dice picked at the beginning of the round. If a player did not declare Zero Tricks, one dice remains in front of them after all the 14 tricks. This remaining dice (leftover dice, or "nokosu" dice) will not be used in a hand, but will be used for scoring at the end of the round. If a player declared Zero Tricks, no dice will remain in front of them after playing 14 tricks because the dice was returned to the bag at the time of declaration.
End-of-Round Scoring
After all 14 tricks have been played, adds points from the following two steps:
Step 1: Points by the Number of the Tricks Won
Each player gets 1 point for each trick they won in the round.
Step 2: Bonus Points
Players are eligible for bonus points if they meet one of the following criteria:
- The player did not declare Zero Tricks and the number of tricks won is equal to the number on the leftover dice.
- The player did declare Zero Tricks and the player won no tricks.
The bonus points for each eligible player depends on the total number of players who met either criteria.
| # of eligible players | # of bonus points |
|---|---|
| 4 players | 0 |
| 3 players | 10 each |
| 2 players | 20 each |
| 1 player | 30 |
In addition, each player who declared Zero Tricks and won no tricks gets an additional 10 bonus points.
Write down each player's points and start the next round with the instructions in Deal the Cards.
End of Game
A game ends when 4 rounds are completed. At the end of the game, the player with the most total points wins.
If there is a tie, all tied players win.
Rules for 3 Players
The rules for 3 players are the same as those for 4 players except for the following:
Deal the Cards
- Remove all the Number Cards of one color AND all 7s. Return these cards to the box. The remaining 28 cards will be used in the game.
- Deal nine Number Cards to each player. Put the one remaining card face down and on the side. It will not be used for the round.
Draft Dice
- Remove one dice of each color AND all the dice of the Number Card color you removed. Return the removed dice to the box. The remaining 16 dice will be used in the game.
- Each player draws one dice from the bag and roll.
- After all players have taken one dice, the dealer draws ten dice out of the dice bag, rolls them, and places them in the middle of the table.
- Continue to pick the dice from the middle of the table until all players have taken three dice. Each player should now have a total of four dice (one drawn from the bag and three picked from the middle of the table).
Playing Tricks
- Play 12 tricks per round.
- Each player must play nine Number Cards and three dice for each round.
End-of-Round Scoring
The bonus points defined under Step 2 are adjusted as follows:
| # of eligible players | # of bonus points |
|---|---|
| 3 | 0 |
| 2 | 10 each |
| 1 | 20 each |
Credits
Game Design: Yusuke Matsumoto
Game Development: Takafumi Sugiki, Sai Beppu
Illustration: Sai Beppu
Graphic Design: Sai Beppu
Editing: Takafumi Sugiki
English Translation/Writing: Ayako Teranishi
English Editing: Rebecca Kutlin
Published by: Engames