Ruffhouse Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object
• Equipment
• Set Up
• Playing
  • Landing on a Space
  • 1. EASY STREET
  • 2. BIG TROUBLE
  • 3. LAST CHANCE
  • THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
  • Playing a Card
• Winning
• Special Notes

Object

To be the first player to earn 5 points. (If that sounds easy, it's not. In this dog-eat-dog, rough-and-tumble game, every point you earn is well-deserved!)

Equipment

• A game board
• A bag with: 2 dice; 4 playing pieces, each a different color; a spinner, with pole; 25 yellow chips and 5 blue chips
• A pack of 20 cards: 8 DOUBLE-CROSS Cards and 12 ZAP! Cards
• A perforated sheet with 20 numbered cards

Set Up

1. Each player takes 2 DOUBLE-CROSS Cards and 3 ZAP! Cards. Place your cards face-up in front of you.
2. Arrange the chips in two separate piles, one yellow and one blue, next to the board. These two piles form the bank.
3. Insert the spinner pole so the rough end appears on the numbered side of the spinner. Be sure to slide in the pole until it will go no further.
4. Carefully remove all the numbered cards from the perforated sheet. Then pile them, blue side up and according to number, next to the board.
5. Each player chooses a playing piece and places it onto START.
6. Each player rolls the dice. Whoever rolls the highest number goes first; play then proceeds, in turn, to the first player's left.

Playing

Before you play, please read all the way through the following rules.

To start your turn, roll the dice and move your playing piece the number of spaces that you roll. Move in the direction of the arrow at START.

What you do next depends on the space where you land. To become familiar with the different spaces, be sure to look them over as you read about them.

Landing on a Space

As you can see, the board is divided into three different areas: EASY STREET, BIG TROUBLE and LAST CHANCE. Within each area, the spaces have their own landing requirements.

1. EASY STREET

Orange spaces. Whenever you land on an orange space, spin the spinner. The number you spin is the number of chips that you win. (The yellow chips are worth "1" each; the blue chips, included for your convenience, are worth "5" each.) After collecting your chips, end your turn by passing the dice to your left.

THE CHIPS ARE DOWN. As soon as you reach this space, you must stop moving, even if you don't land here by an exact roll of the dice.

You must then "commit" to the number of chips you think you'll have left by the time you reach THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. Take a card that shows that number and place it in front of you, blue side up, thus ending your turn.

To earn points, you'll have to reach THE MOMENT OF TRUTH with at least as many chips as the number on your card. Therefore be cautious in the number of chips you commit to. The chances are very good that you'll lose at least half your chips while moving through BIG TROUBLE.

2. BIG TROUBLE

Whenever you land in this area, roll once, with both dice, to try to match the number you've landed on. If you do match the number, go directly to SO FAR, SO GOOD and end your turn. If you don't match the number, stay where you are and end your turn by paying whatever penalty is required. The penalties for not rolling your number: a) If your number is purple, return one chip to the bank. b) If your number is gold, return one-half your chips to the bank. There is no penalty if you land on THE BREAKS and fail to roll an 8.

Remember: This rule applies only to landing on a BIG TROUBLE space. If you start your turn on one of these spaces, simply roll the dice and move ahead the number of spaces that you roll.

3. LAST CHANCE

Numbered spaces. Whenever you land on one of these spaces, you have a choice: a) to end your turn right away; or b) to gamble with one or two of your chips. If you want to gamble, first return to the bank the number of chips shown on your space. Then spin the spinner. If you're lucky, you'll win more chips than you risked. But whether you're lucky or not, your turn ends.

BONUS spaces. Whenever you land on one of these spaces, take one chip from the bank and end your turn.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

As soon as you reach this space, you must stop moving, even if you don't land here by an exact roll of the dice. Then count your chips.

a) If you have as many chips as the blue number on your card, you earn 1 point for each of your chips. To take your points, simply turn over your card. Then return to the bank 1 chip for each point you just earned. You may keep any chips that are left over.

b) If you have fewer chips than the blue number on your card, you don't earn any points. You must, instead, return your card to its pile. You may keep whatever chips you have.

In either case, move your playing piece to START and end your turn.

Playing a Card

The cards hold the key to this game's strategy. There are only two kinds of cards, DOUBLE-CROSS and ZAP!. As you'll see, each card is appropriately named.

DOUBLE-CROSS Cards. At any time during the game you may play a DOUBLE-CROSS Card against an opponent who is spinning. By doing this, you try to win extra chips. Simply turn in a DOUBLE-CROSS Card before the spinner stops spinning. Then take every chip that your opponent would have won.

However: Before the spinner stops, other players may play a DOUBLE-CROSS Card on top of the one that you've played. If this happens, the one to win the chips is the last one to play a DOUBLE-CROSS Card. If you want to, and if you can do it before the spinner stops, you may then play your second DOUBLE-CROSS Card on top of an opponent's. The player who is spinning may not play a DOUBLE-CROSS Card.

ZAP! Cards. Instead of rolling to start your turn, you may play a ZAP! Card against an opponent. By doing this, you try to send that opponent back to THE BREAKS, thus slowing his or her progress. Simply turn in a ZAP! Card at the start of your turn and challenge an opponent. You and the challenged opponent then roll 1 die each.

a) If you roll the higher number, your opponent must go directly to THE BREAKS and immediately try, with both dice, to roll an 8. If your opponent does not roll an 8, he or she stays at THE BREAKS until his or her next regular turn. If your opponent does roll an 8, he or she goes directly to SO FAR, SO GOOD. In either case, you do not move.

b) If you roll the lower number, neither you nor your opponent moves anywhere.

c) If you both roll the same number, roll again.

Whether or not you win the challenge, you may then, if you wish, play one or both of your remaining ZAP! Cards. You may re-challenge an opponent who goes to SO FAR, SO GOOD; or you may challenge a different opponent in the same way. As soon as you run out of ZAP! Cards or decide not to play another one, your turn ends.

Each DOUBLE-CROSS and ZAP! Card may be used only once during the game. After using one, you must discard it immediately.

Winning

The winner is the first player who manages, by hook or by crook, to earn 5 points.

Special Notes

Penalties. a) If you must give up half your chips, but have an odd number, keep the extra. b) If you must give up half your chips, but have only one, keep it.

ZAP! Cards. a) You may play a ZAP! Card only against an opponent who has already committed to chips at THE CHIPS ARE DOWN. b) As soon as you play a ZAP! Card you forfeit your chance to move on that turn.

Numbered Cards. Sometimes, especially later in the game, a numbered card you need won't be available. If this happens, just add some other numbered cards together. Example: Let's say you want to commit to four chips at THE CHIPS ARE DOWN, but discover that both "4" cards have already been used. Take two "2" cards instead, or a "1" and a "3".

The Spinner. After playing, you'll find it easier to store the game if you disassemble the spinner.