Qwitch Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• What's in the Box
• The Object of Qwitch
• Setting Up
• The Direction Cards
• Beginner Game
  • Playing the Game
  • Winning the Game
  • Notes
• Advanced Game
  • Playing the Game
  • Winning the Game

What's in the Box

• 64 Qwitch Cards (blue backs)
• 12 Direction Cards (green backs)
• Travel Tin

Ages 7+. 3-5 players.

The Object of Qwitch

Be the first player out of Qwitch cards.

Setting Up

1. Choose a player to be the first dealer. The dealer:
   • shuffles the 12 Direction Cards (green backs) and places the stack, face down, off to the side.
   • shuffles the 64 Qwitch Cards (blue backs) and places the top card, face down, in the center of the table.
   • deals the remaining Qwitch Cards face down, so that each player, including the dealer, has an equal draw pile. Any left-over cards will not be used for this game.
2. Players draw the top five cards from their draw piles to form a hand. Players may look at the cards in their hand.

The Direction Cards

Direction Cards determine the order in which the Qwitch Cards are played.

Up (+)

The Qwitch Card played must be one number or one letter up from the card on which it is played. For example, if B2 is the top card on the center pile, any card with a C or any card with a 3 may be played.

Down (-)

The Qwitch Card played must be one number or one letter down from the card on which it is played. For example, if B2 is the top card on the center pile, any card with an A or any card with a 1 may be played.

Note: the Down symbol is not recoverable from the printed text layer of this card; the sign shown here is taken from the game's published description of the Direction Cards as "+, -, =".

Equal (=)

The Qwitch Card played must have one number or one letter the same as the card on which it is played. For example, if B2 is the top card on the center pile, any card with a B or any card with a 2 may be played.

Beginner Game

This turn-based version of Qwitch is great for younger players.

Playing the Game

1. The dealer turns over the top Direction Card and turns over the Qwitch Card in the center of the table.
2. The game begins with the player to the left of the dealer either playing one Qwitch Card on the center pile or passing.
   • Qwitch Cards are played according to the symbol on the Direction Card. See The Direction Cards.
   • Players must call out the letter and number on the card as the card is played.
   • If the player doesn't have a card that can be played, he or she calls out "pass."
   • Players may only use the cards in their hand and do not refill their hands from their draw piles until play stops.
3. The turn moves to the player on the left unless play stops. Play stops when someone has played all the cards in his or her hand, or when no one has a card that can be played.
   • If play stops because a player has run out of cards in his or her hand, that player must call out "stop" so the other players will know that they may no longer play their cards. Players draw cards from their draw piles to bring their hands up to a maximum of five cards. The person who played the top card on the center pile turns over the next Direction Card and the player to his or her left takes the next turn.
   • If play stops because no one has a card that can be played, players draw cards from their draw piles to bring their hands up to a maximum of five cards. The person who played the top card on the center pile turns over the next Direction Card and the player to his or her left takes the next turn.
4. Play continues until one player is completely out of cards in his or her hand and draw pile.

Winning the Game

The first player completely out of Qwitch Cards wins!

Notes

• On the rare occasion when no one can play a Qwitch Card, regardless of the Direction Card, simply move the bottom Qwitch Card to the top of the center pile and resume play.
• Letters and numbers do not "wrap around" when you reach the highest or lowest point in the sequence. For example, when the Direction Card reads "UP," H is the highest letter in the sequence and does not wrap around to A. Similarly, 1 is the lowest number in the sequence, and does not wrap around to 8.
• If the stack of Direction Cards is depleted, simply shuffle the cards, place them face down, and resume play.

Advanced Game

When you feel comfortable with the basic game, try out the advanced. Start by following the rules for Setting Up.

Playing the Game

1. The dealer turns over the top Direction Card, turns over the Qwitch Card in the center of the table, and the game begins.
2. Without taking turns, players race to play cards from their hands, face up, on the center pile.
   • Qwitch Cards are played according to the symbol on the Direction Card. See The Direction Cards.
   • Players must call out the letter and number on each card as it is played.
   • Players may only use the cards in their hand and do not refill their hands from their draw piles until play stops.
3. Play stops when someone has played all the cards in his or her hand, or when no one has a card that can be played.
   • If play stops because a player has run out of cards in his or her hand, that player must call out "stop" so the other players will know that they may no longer play their cards. Players draw cards from their draw piles to bring their hands up to a maximum of five cards. The player to the left of the last player to turn over a Direction Card turns over the next Direction Card and play resumes.
   • If play stops because no one has a card that can be played, players draw cards from their draw piles to bring their hands up to a maximum of five cards. The player to the left of the last player to turn over a Direction Card turns over the next Direction Card and play resumes.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until one player is completely out of cards in his or her hand and draw pile.

Winning the Game

The first player completely out of Qwitch Cards wins!