Pizzeria Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Sequence of Play
  • Served to the Table!
  • Enjoy Your Meal!
  • End of Round
• Special Kinds of Pizza
• End of Game
• Advanced Variant (Special Offers)
  • Setup (Advanced)
  • Playing (Advanced)
  • Symbols on Special Offers
• Solo Variant
  • Setup (Solo)
  • Playing (Solo)
  • End of Game (Solo)
  • Difficulty Levels (Solo)

Components

• 69 pizza slices (65 single slices and 4 mixed slices)
• 1 pizza cutter (the "knife")
• 12 special offers (used in the advanced variant only)
• 1 sticker for signing your copy of the game

Anatomy of a slice:

• A At the top: basil leaves (0 to 3 leaves).
• B In the middle: ingredients corresponding to the kind of pizza.
• C At the bottom: a number showing how many slices of that kind are in the game (for example, there are 3 pineapple slices and 8 bacon slices).

Important: the basil leaves and the bottom numbers are how players score points at the end of the game. Details are explained later in these rules.

Setup

• Before starting, return the following slices to the box, depending on the number of players:
  • 2 or 4 players: remove all slices with the value 3, 8 and 10, and the mixed 8/10 slice.
  • 5 players: remove all slices with the value 10, and the mixed 8/10 slice.
  • 3 or 6 players: use all slices.
• Place all slices that are used in the game face down and mix them thoroughly. Then build stacks at the side of the table, each stack containing 11 slices:
  • 2 or 4 players: make 4 stacks.
  • 5 players: make 5 stacks.
  • 3 or 6 players: make 6 stacks.
• Note: the 3 slices left over are returned to the box without looking at them.
• The person who most recently ate pizza (or the oldest player) takes the pizza cutter (the knife).
• Return the special offers to the box. They are used in the advanced variant (see page 8 of the rules).

Sequence of Play

The player holding the knife starts the game. In the first round, that player divides the pizza into portions. In the following rounds, the knife is passed to the next player in clockwise order.

Each round consists of 2 parts:

• Served to the table! (PODANO DO STOŁU!)
• Enjoy your meal! (SMACZNEGO!)

Served to the Table!

The player with the knife takes 1 of the stacks of slices and reveals the slices one by one, building a whole pizza from them. Note: the player may not change the order of the slices. The slices are laid side by side in the order in which they were revealed from the stack.

The player with the knife then divides the pizza into as many portions as there are players in the game. The portions do not have to be equal; they may consist of any number of slices.

Note: while dividing the pizza, the player may not change the order of the slices.

Example: during a four-player game, the player divided the pizza into 4 portions.

During a two-player game, the pizza is divided into 4 portions.

Enjoy Your Meal!

Once the player with the knife has divided the pizza, the player sitting to the left takes a portion.

Note: after choosing a portion, the player must decide which slices of that portion to save for later and which to eat. A player may eat all of the slices, save all of them, or eat some and save the rest.

Saving slices for later:

• A player may save any kind of pizza slice for later.
• Saved slices are placed in front of the player face up, grouped by kind of pizza, so that it is visible how many slices of each kind the player has.

Eating slices:

• A player may eat only slices that have basil leaves on them.
• Eaten slices are placed in front of the player in a stack, face down.
• Only slices from the portion chosen in the current round may be eaten. Slices saved in earlier rounds may not be eaten.

Once a player has chosen a portion and decided which slices to save and which to eat, the next player (to the left) chooses a portion for themselves and makes the same decisions.

Note: the last portion is taken by the player who divided the pizza. That player must also decide which slices to save for later and which to eat.

During a two-player game, each round the players choose 2 portions each. First the player without the knife chooses 1 portion, then the player with the knife chooses 1 portion, then the player without the knife again, and finally the player with the knife takes the last portion.

Example: the player has chosen a portion and decides what to do with each of its slices:

• the slice with a tomato is saved for later (it cannot be eaten, because it has no basil leaves),
• the slice with mushrooms is saved for later,
• the slice with 3 basil leaves is eaten.

End of Round

A round ends when all players have chosen their portions and have saved or eaten the appropriate slices. The pizza cutter (knife) is passed to the player to the left. In the new round, that player takes 1 stack of slices, builds a pizza from them, and divides it into portions.

Special Kinds of Pizza

The game includes 2 special kinds of pizza: mixed slices and pizza pomodoro. These slices have no basil leaves, so they must be saved for later; they cannot be eaten.

Mixed slices:

• At the end of the game, a mixed slice counts as ½ slice of each of the kinds of pizza shown on it.

Pizza pomodoro:

• Points for these slices are scored differently from the other slices. For this reason, the number 2 on these slices is a different colour from the values on the other slices.
• If a player saved 1 slice of this pizza for later, that player receives 2 points for it.
• If a player saved 2 slices of this pizza for later (and thereby assembled a whole tomato), that player receives 4 points for them.

End of Game

The game ends when the slices from the last stack have been divided among the players. Then points are counted for the slices saved for later and for the slices eaten.

Points for slices saved for later:

• Players compare who has the most slices of each kind of pizza. The player who has the lead in a given kind scores points equal to the value shown on those slices. For example, if a player has the lead in the slices with the value 3, that player scores 3 points, regardless of how many such slices they have. The other players score nothing for that kind.
• In the case of a tie, each tied player scores the full number of points for that kind.

Points for slices eaten:

• Players count the basil leaves on all the slices they ate during the game.
• 1 basil leaf = 1 point. Basil leaves on slices saved for later do not score any points.

Winner:

• The winner is the player with the most points in total.
• In the case of a tie, the winner is the player who ate more slices of pizza during the game.
• If the tie remains, the players share the victory.

Scoring example: The player counts the points for the slices saved for later:

• they completed a whole tomato (pizza pomodoro), so they score 4 points (2 points for each slice),
• 2.5 shrimp slices (value 5): they have the largest number of this kind, so they score 5 points,
• 0.5 mushroom slice (value 7): they do not have the largest number of this kind, so they score no points,
• 3 bacon slices (value 8): they tie for the largest number of this kind with another player, so both players score 8 points each.

The player then counts the points for the slices eaten: there are 9 basil leaves, so they score 9 points.

The player scored 26 points in total.

(The publisher's rulebook shows photographs of the slices saved for later and the slices eaten during the game, illustrating this example.)

Advanced Variant (Special Offers)

This variant uses special offers.

Setup (Advanced)

• As in the basic game, return to the box the number of slices appropriate for the number of players (see page 2 of the rules).
• Note: the 3 leftover slices are set aside to the side (not returned to the box, as in the basic game). The slices lie face down. During the game, a special offer may require you to use these slices.
• Shuffle all special offers face down (text face down). Then place 1 special offer face down on each stack of slices.
• Unused special offers are placed in a face-down pile at the side of the table.

Anatomy of a special offer:

• A A symbol showing at which point in the game the offer can be used.
• B The text of the offer.
• C A letter that helps you find the full description of this offer in the rules (page 11).
• D A symbol showing when the offer is not used.

Playing (Advanced)

Apart from the changes below, play proceeds as in the basic game.

Served to the Table!

• After taking a stack of slices, the player with the knife reads the special offer lying on that stack aloud and places it in the middle of the table. Then the player builds the pizza from the slices and divides it into portions.
• When dividing the pizza into portions, the player also takes the special offer into account. The player may place it on a portion of their choice, or create a separate portion from the special offer alone!

Example: during a four-player game, the player may divide the pizza in the following ways:

• (A) so that the special offer is part of a portion with pizza slices,
• (B) so that the special offer is its own portion, without any pizza slices.

Enjoy Your Meal!

• The player who chose a portion containing a special offer places it in front of themselves, text side up. They use it:
  • immediately, if the offer is marked with the lightning symbol,
  • later in the game, if the offer is marked with the clock symbol,
  • at the end of the game, if the offer is marked with the flag symbol.
• After using a special offer, the player turns it face down.

End of Game (Advanced)

• When scoring, players score points as in the basic game, and also score points from special offers marked with the flag symbol.

Symbols on Special Offers

• Lightning, clock and flag symbols show at which point the offer can be used: immediately / later in the game / at the end of the game.
• Two crossed-out symbols show in which round the offer cannot be used: not in the first round / not in the last round (the ice cream symbol stands for dessert, that is, the last round).
• A crossed-out symbol shows that the offer is not used in a two-player game.

Each special offer is marked with a different letter in the bottom left corner. During the game, use the descriptions below.

Offers marked with the lightning symbol can be used once: in the round in which they were obtained.

• A. You may eat up to 2 slices saved for later. If this special offer is revealed in the first round, return it to the box and take a new one from the stack in its place.
• B. Draw 1 of the 3 slices set aside at the start of the game, and eat it or save it for later.
• C. When you obtain this special offer, place it on 1 kind of pizza saved for later. At the end of the game, you receive 1 point for each slice of that kind saved for later, regardless of whether you have the lead in that kind of pizza.

Offers marked with the clock symbol can be used once: in any round of the game (the player decides when to use the offer).

• D. Before dividing the pizza, choose 1 slice from it. Eat it or save it for later. If this special offer is revealed in the last round, return it to the box and take a new one from the stack in its place.
  • Note: this offer is not used in a two-player game.
• E. Before choosing a portion, you may move 1 slice to an adjacent portion. Only a slice on the edge of a portion may be moved. If this special offer is revealed in the last round, return it to the box and take a new one from the stack in its place.
• F. You choose your portion first. If this special offer is revealed in the last round, return it to the box and take a new one from the stack in its place.
  • Note: this offer is not used in a two-player game.

Offers marked with the flag symbol can be used once: at the end of the game.

• G. At the end of the game, you receive 5 points.
• H. At the end of the game, you receive 1 point for each kind of pizza you saved for later.
  • Each mixed slice counts as a slice of each of the kinds shown on it.
  • The two pizza pomodoro slices together count as 1 kind.
• I. You win all ties for the number of slices of a given kind of pizza. Players tied with you do not receive points.
• J. Before scoring, you may eat all the slices of 1 kind that you saved for later. These slices must have basil leaves.
• K. At the end of the game, you receive 1 point for each kind of pizza you ate.
• L. At the end of the game, you receive 1 extra point for each slice eaten of the kind of pizza you ate most. These are extra points, separate from the points for basil leaves on those slices.

Solo Variant

This variant was created by the author of the game, Jeffrey Allers, and Michał Zwierzyński of Wydawnictwo Nasza Księgarnia. You compete against Jeff, a virtual player. Your goal is to score more points than he does.

The solo rules are the publisher's separate Polish solo rulebook (2020), translated into English by the transcriber.

Setup (Solo)

• Before starting, return to the box the slices with the values 3, 5 and 10, and all mixed slices.
• Place all slices used in the game face down and mix them thoroughly. Then build 4 stacks at the side of the table, each containing 11 slices.
• The 3 slices left over are returned to the box without looking at them.
• Return the pizza cutter (knife) and the special offers to the box. They are not used in the solo variant.

Playing (Solo)

• Each round, you take 1 stack of slices, build a pizza from them, and divide it into 4 portions, following the rules of the basic game.
• Portions are chosen in this order: Jeff, you, Jeff, you.
• Jeff always chooses the portion with the largest number of slices. If several portions contain the same largest number of slices, you decide which of them goes to Jeff (even if it is disadvantageous for him). Place Jeff's portion to the side, and keep his slices separate from yours.
• After Jeff chooses a portion, check which slices Jeff saves for later and which he eats. Go through the slices of each kind in turn (for example, first all the feta slices, then all the bacon slices, and so on):
  • If Jeff has 2 more slices of that kind saved for later than you, he eats all the slices of that kind.
  • If Jeff has the same number saved as you, or 1 fewer or 1 more, he saves all the slices of that kind for later.
    • Note: if after saving slices for later Jeff's lead in that kind of pizza is more than 2 slices, he eats the surplus slices, so that his lead is 2 slices.
  • If Jeff has at least 2 fewer slices of that kind saved for later than you, check whether the slices from Jeff's portion would allow him to draw level with you or take the lead:
    • if saving those slices for later would give Jeff at least as many slices of that kind as you, he saves them for later,
    • otherwise, Jeff eats all the slices of that kind.
• You always choose the portion you consider better. Nothing restricts you. Then decide which slices you want to save for later and which to eat.

Example: Michał divided the first pizza. Then Jeff and Michał take portions in turn:

• (A) Jeff must take the largest portion, which consists of 4 slices. Then Jeff eats or saves the slices of that portion:
  • 3 pepper slices: Jeff must save 2 of them for later and eat 1 (because he currently has 2 more slices of this kind than Michał),
  • 1 mushroom slice: Jeff must save it for later (because he has the same number of this kind as Michał, that is, 0 each).
• (B) Michał chooses a portion with 3 slices and decides whether to save or eat them:
  • 2 salami slices: Michał saves them for later,
  • 1 pineapple slice: Michał saves it for later.
• (C) Two portions remain with the same number of slices, so Michał chooses the portion for Jeff. Then Jeff eats or saves the slices of that portion:
  • 1 mushroom slice: Jeff must save it for later (because he has 1 more slice of this kind than Michał),
  • 1 salami slice: Jeff must eat this slice (because Michał has 2 more slices of this kind than Jeff; by saving this slice, Jeff would not be able to draw level in the number of this kind of slice).
• (D) Michał takes the last portion and decides whether to save or eat the slices:
  • 1 tomato slice: Michał saves it for later (he cannot eat it, because it has no basil leaves),
  • 1 feta slice: Michał eats it.

End of Game (Solo)

• The game ends after 4 rounds. Count your points and Jeff's points.
• If you and Jeff have the same number of slices of a given kind, nobody scores points for that kind.
• All other scoring rules remain unchanged.
• If you have scored more points than Jeff, you have won! If you have scored fewer points, try again. Eventually you will beat Jeff.

Difficulty Levels (Solo)

If you beat Jeff easily using the rules above, play at a higher difficulty level!

Medium level:

• At the end of the game, Jeff eats 1 slice of each kind of pizza saved for later in which he does not have the lead (both the kind of which he has fewer, and the kind on which you tied). These slices are added to those he ate during the game.

Hard level:

• At the end of the game, Jeff eats all the slices of each kind of pizza saved for later in which he does not have the lead (both the kind of which he has fewer, and the kind on which you tied). These slices are added to those he ate during the game.