San Quentin Kings Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • Game Board Setup
  • Player Setup
  • 3 Player Game Setup
• Game Play
  • 1. Play an Action
    • Initiating Order
    • Payment
    • Preparing to Fight
    • Fight
    • Scoring Fight
  • 2. Collect and Clean
• End of the Year
• Riot
• End Game Scoring
  • Fight King
  • Drug King
  • Crew King
  • Extra Respect
• Gang Member Types
• Action Blocks
  • Shank Block (Fight)
  • Commissary Block (Fight)
  • New Arrival Block (Fight)
  • Drug Block (Fight)
  • Gym Block (No Fighting)
  • Cafeteria Trade Block (No Fighting)
  • Guard Influence Block (No Fighting)
  • Solitary Block
  • Fight Deck Variant
• Bribe Chip Actions
• Fight and Shank Cards
  • Shank Cards
• Examples
  • Fight Action Example
  • Scoring Examples
  • Bribe Examples
  • Riot Example

Components

• Rulebook, game board
• 47 Fight Cards
• 21 Shank Cards (7 of each gang member type)
• 5 Bribe Action and Scoring cards
• 27 Drug Chips (12 green, 9 white, 7 brown)
• 10 Bribe chips
• 6 used action chips
• 1 black action pawn
• 1 red fight round pawn
• 1 black year/riot disc
• 21 natural commissary cubes
• 1 Initiator Piece
• 35 Cobra Cylinders (in 5 colors)
• 35 large Scorpion Cubes (in 5 colors)
• 35 small Tarantula Cubes (in 5 colors)
• 5 Fight Point Discs (in 5 colors)
• 5 octagon Respect markers (in 5 colors)

Setup

Game Board Setup

• Place the board in the middle of the table.
• Place the black year disc on year 1.
• The red pawn is placed on round 1 of the fight track.
• The black pawn is placed near the board.
• Place the commissary cubes near the board next to the commissary action block.
• The gray new arrival discs are placed near the board next to the new arrival action.
• The drug chips are shuffled and placed face down near the board next to the drug action block, in a pile or separate stacks.
• The shank cards are shuffled and placed face down near the board above the shank action block.
• The bribe chips are put on the board in the guard influence action. Use twice as many bribe chips as there are players. Leftovers are put back in the box. (A 3 player game uses 6, a 4 player game uses 8, etc.)
• Remove 2 Guard Cards from the Fight deck and put them in the box. Shuffle the deck well and place it near the board.
• Place the 6 used action chips near the board.

Player Setup

• Each player chooses a color and receives their 21 gang member pieces, a disc and a respect marker.
• Place your disc on the 0 of the fight point track.
• The respect marker is placed off the board, near the respect track.
• Players keep 3 of each type of gang member piece, nine total, and place them next to themselves. These are their active gang pieces. The remaining gang pieces are placed together next to the board, near the yard. They are not in the game but in the court system, awaiting trial.
• Each player also receives 1 random shank card, 2 commissary, 1 bribe chip, and a bribe action/respect reference card.
• A player is randomly chosen to be the "initiating player" and is given the initiator disc.

3 Player Game Setup

• Each player receives 1 random shank card, 2 commissary, 1 bribe chip, and a bribe action/respect reference card.
• The active gang pieces are considered a player's "cell."
• Remove 2 Guard Cards from the Fight deck and put them in the box.
• Players must also make sure they have enough space in front of themselves to lay cards down. This is known as their "fight area."

Game Play

San Quentin Kings is played in three years and ends with a final riot. One year is divided into 7 actions. An action is chosen by the initiating player. Each player may participate in an action. After an action is completed the initiating player changes in clockwise order. After the 7 actions have been completed a new year begins. After 3 years the game concludes with a riot.

The player with the initiator disc is the "initiating player" and chooses 1 of the 7 action blocks. He may choose any action block that has not previously been played in the current year. At the beginning of a year all action blocks are available. The initiating player uses the black pawn and places it in the action block he wants to perform.

An action is divided into 2 parts as follows:

1. Play an action
2. Collect and Clean

1. Play an Action

Once an action is chosen each player may take a turn within the action. An action is played in several steps. Depending on the action, certain steps must be taken. The steps are:

• Initiating Order
• Payment
• Preparing to Fight
• Fight
• Scoring Fight

Initiating Order

Initiating order is different for non-fight action blocks versus fight action blocks. In a non-fight action block the initiating player will begin the action and play continues in clockwise order with each player having one turn to participate. During a fight action block the player to the left of the initiating player begins the action and play will continue in clockwise order, ending with the initiating player. Up to 3 turns may occur in a fight action; one turn will occur in a non-fight action.

Payment

Some actions require payment. The cost is written in each action block that requires payment. Players must pay the proper amount and type of payment to take a turn in the action. Payment always begins with the initiating player (even in fight actions) and continues in clockwise order. Goods are received immediately following payment.

The Drug action requires payment before the fight. Goods will be received after the fight, and only by the strongest.

Preparing to Fight

If a fighting action is initiated, players must prepare to fight. If it is the Drug action block, they must pay first before preparing. To prepare for a fight, players secretly select any of their active gang pieces from their cell. They may select any type and amount of gang member pieces. Their selection may even be a mix of different types of gang members. They may even select none. The gang pieces chosen for the particular fight are put into their fists.

When everyone has selected, they must hold their fists in front of themselves and open their hands simultaneously. The pieces that have been chosen are set up in their fight area. If someone opens an empty fist they are passing from the fight and are immune to anything that may occur.

Fight

A fight is played in up to 3 rounds. In each round every player may take one turn, beginning with the player to the left of the initiating player and going clockwise, ending with the initiator himself. On a turn, players will play or draw cards that will increase or decrease the value of their gang member strength. After each round the fight pawn is advanced on the fight round track.

During each fight round, on their turn, a player may choose to pass or fight.

PASS. Players that choose to pass do not draw any fight cards or play shank cards and may not play any bribe chips. They are done fighting and cannot enter back into the fight, but their strength, built by pieces and cards, remains in their fight area. Players pass to avoid drawing cards from the risky fight deck. Other players still fighting may play bribe chips on a passing player to decrease the passed player's strength.

FIGHT. Players that choose to fight must either draw a fight card or play a shank card, and may also play one bribe chip, on their turn, in each fight round they have chosen to fight.

The fight round track illustrates the amount of cards that must be played each round. In round 1, one fight card or shank card must be played, no more or less than one card. The same applies in round 2: only one fight card or shank card must be played. In round 3 two fight cards or two shank cards, or a mix, must be played, no more or less.

Each fight card drawn has a certain result. Some cards increase the strength of gang members, while other cards can decrease and destroy the strength of gang members. Each card and its result is explained on the Fight and Shank Cards reference (see below).

Shank cards can increase a gang member's strength. When playing them, players don't need to draw from the risky fight deck.

When all three fight rounds are complete, or all players have passed, then the scoring of the fight will be determined.

Scoring Fight

Players add the strength of each gang member type. Each gang member piece equals a strength of one for the gang member type.

Ex. 1 Cobra gang piece = 1 Cobra strength. All cards matching the type of gang piece or pieces also equal one. All the cards and pieces of each member type are added.

If a player has several cards of a particular member type but no gang pieces representing that member type in the fight, the cards are worth zero. Players must have at least one gang member piece represented to add the matching card strength.

The strongest gang in a fight is the player with the most strength of any one type of gang member. (Example 1)

If there is a tie of most of any one type, the tie breaker in the action block is consulted. The gang member type on the top of the tie breaker is stronger than the bottom two, and the middle gang member type is stronger than the bottom. The player with the most of the stronger-type gang members is the strongest. (Example 2)

If there is still a tie, the players count their second strongest gang member strength. The player with the stronger second type of gang member is then the strongest. (Example 3)

If play is still tied, consult the tie breaker and count the third strongest gang member type.

If play is deadlocked, initiating order beginning with the player with the initiator disc, going clockwise, is strongest. (Example 4)

The 1st strongest gang will earn 1 Fight point on the fight track and also receive 3 of the types of goods represented in the chosen action block. The 2nd strongest gang will receive 2 of the type of goods represented in the action block, but no fight point. The 3rd strongest gang will receive 1 good from the appropriate action block, but no fight point. 4th and 5th place gangs receive nothing.

2. Collect and Clean

After a fight action block has been scored, players collect any items earned, and clean up their fight area, putting used fight cards and shank cards in the appropriate discard piles. If the Grave Fight Card was drawn during the fight, the entire fight deck and discards are shuffled.

Each gang member piece that was used in the fight is placed in the yard and cannot be used again until the next year. All gang pieces in solitary confinement (explained below) remain until the end of the year. All used bribe chips are placed back into the guard influence action block.

In non-fight related action blocks, the collection and clean up is explained in the Action Block section.

After the action is completed, a used action chip is placed on top of the action block, and the Initiator Disc is handed to the next clockwise player to begin another action. After all 7 actions have been played, a year comes to an end.

End of the Year

At the end of the year, the player with the most pieces in Solitary Confinement earns 2 Respect for having the craziest gang. If there is a tie, all tying players earn 1 Respect.

Now players gather all of their gang pieces from the yard and solitary confinement and place them back into their cell to be used in the next year. Players shuffle all shank cards and used drugs back into their respective decks and piles. (The fight deck is shuffled only after the grave card has been drawn or there are no more cards to be drawn.)

Advance the year disc one space. Every player receives 1 commissary cube and 1 shank card. Players that have 6 or more Tarantula gang pieces in their cells at the beginning of a new year receive 2 commissary cubes; 6 or more Scorpion gang pieces receive 2 shank cards at this time.

The starting player of the new year is the next clockwise player to the player who finished the last year. When all three years have been played, the year disc is placed on the riot slot.

Riot

After the 3 years the riot is played. Players gather all of their pieces from the yard and solitary and immediately set them all up in their fight area. The riot is a fight using all of a player's active gang pieces. All fight rules are exactly the same as a regular fight except all players must fight. The player with the least amount of fight points is given the initiator disc. Fight rounds begin with the player to the left of the initiating player and end with the initiating player himself, just like a normal fight. Players may pass during the fight.

After all three rounds of fighting have been played, the riot is scored. The tie breaker for the riot is next to the year display. The 1st strongest gang earns 2 fight points. No other gang receives any points. There is no second place in a riot. The game play is complete.

End Game Scoring

After the riot, players collect all of their gang pieces from solitary and from other players if they have been bribed during the riot. Gang pieces coming from solitary do not receive Respect after the riot.

Respect is added for various conditions:

Fight King

The player who has scored the most fight points earns 14 respect, 2nd most earns 11 respect, 3rd most earns 7 respect, 4th earns 4 respect, and 5th earns 1 respect. If there is a tie in placement, all tying players drop to the next placement level and earn all the respect of that next level. The next placement drops to the next respect level.

EX. Tex has 7 fight points and earns 14 respect. Ross and Sarah both have 3 fight points and earn 7 respect each. They had to drop down a level and do not earn 11 respect. Keith has 4 fight points and earns the next level down, 4 respect.

Drug King

The player who has collected the most Brown Horse drugs earns 8 respect. The player who has collected the most White Horse drugs earns 6 respect. The player with the most Green Baboon drugs earns 4 respect. If there is a tie, the tying players earn half the expected respect.

EX. Ross has the most brown horse drugs. He earns 8 respect. Tex and Sarah have a tie for most of the white horse. They both earn 3 respect. Sarah has the most green baboon and earns 4 respect.

Crew King

The player who has collected the most Cobra Members earns 5 respect. Same scoring for players with the most Scorpion and Tarantula Members. If there is a tie, all tying players earn 2 respect.

Ex. Sarah has the most Cobra members and earns 5 respect. Keith and Tex have the most Scorpion members and earn 2 respect each. Ross has the most Tarantula members and earns 5 respect.

Extra Respect

The player with the most commissary earns 3 respect. 3 Respect is also given to the player with the most shank cards. If tied, players receive nothing.

For every remaining Bribe Chip a player owns, he earns 2 respect.

Gang Member Types

There are three types of gang member pieces, which can be identified by their size and shape, and graphically by the type of tattoo they have.

• Cobra Member: The large cylinder piece represents the physically toughest gang member, the muscle.
• Scorpion Member: The medium size cube represents an average strength gang member with good working abilities, the worker.
• Tarantula Member: The small cube represents a physically weak gang member that has a good business sense, the smarts.

Prison slang: the animals and tattoos used to refer to different gang members and contraband are fiction in this game, although the use of tattoos and slang to identify people and things does occur in the modern prison system. Tattoos are usually used to identify an inmate's loyalty and position in their gang.

Action Blocks

There are 7 action blocks. Each block has an illustration describing its action. There are fight related actions and non-fight related actions. Fight actions demand a fight for dominance of the particular action. In non-fight related actions every player has a chance to earn goods depending on the initiating order.

Shank Block (Fight)

This fighting action awards Shank Cards to the strongest gangs. Its tie-breaker display reads: Scorpion Members are strongest, followed by Tarantula Members, followed by Cobra Members.

• 1st place receives 1 Fight Point and 3 Shank Cards.
• 2nd place receives 2 Shank Cards.
• 3rd place receives 1 Shank Card.

If there are no shank cards left in the deck, players can wait until discards arrive later in the game. Players still earn their shanks.

Commissary Block (Fight)

This fighting action awards Commissary Cubes to the strongest gangs. Its tie-breaker display reads: Tarantula Members are strongest, followed by Scorpion Members, followed by Cobra Members.

• 1st place receives 1 Fight Point and 3 Commissary.
• 2nd place receives 2 Commissary.
• 3rd place receives 1 Commissary.

If there is no commissary left in the pile, players can wait until used commissary arrives later in the game. Players still earn their commissary.

New Arrival Block (Fight)

This fighting action awards new gang members to the strongest gangs. Its tie-breaker display reads: Cobra Members are strongest, followed by Scorpion Members, followed by Tarantula Members.

• 1st place receives 1 Fight Point and 3 Gang Pieces. Pieces are chosen from the 6 available members riding the bus: 2 Cobra pieces, 2 Scorpion pieces and 2 Tarantula pieces.
• 2nd place receives 2 gang pieces in the same fashion, but may only choose from the unselected gang member pieces on the bus.
• 3rd place receives the last remaining gang member type from the bus and places it in the yard.

The 1st place player may choose 3 out of the 6 in any combination. Using the gray discs, the 1st place player must place a disc over each gang piece selected. He must take the proper pieces in his color out of the court system pile and place them immediately in the yard. The selected gang pieces may not be used until the next year.

If a player has no pieces left in the court system pile of a particular type, he must choose another gang member type. Pieces are limited and can't be selected if they are already being used by the player. If this leaves extra unselected gang members for 2nd and 3rd place players, they still may only pick up the required amount (2nd = 2 pieces, 3rd = 1 piece).

Example: 2nd strongest must select 2 gang pieces out of the remaining 3 choices.

Drug Block (Fight)

This fighting action awards new Drug Chips arriving into the prison to the most dominant gangs. All fighting players must first pay either 1 Commissary Cube or 1 Shank to finance the importing of the drugs. Fight rounds begin with the player to the left of the initiating player. Its tie-breaker display says Cobra Members are strongest, followed by Tarantula Members, followed by Scorpion Members.

• 1st place receives 1 Fight Point and 3 randomly selected Drug Chips from the Drug Chip pile.
• 2nd place receives 2 randomly selected Drug Chips.
• 3rd place receives 1 randomly selected Drug Chip.

If there are no drug chips left in the pile, players can wait until used drugs arrive later in the game and may select randomly from the used drugs. Players still earn their drugs. If they never arrive, all drugs earned but not obtained are considered green baboon drugs.

Gym Block (No Fighting)

Beginning with the initiating player and going clockwise, players may put up to a maximum of 3 gang pieces into the gym and build them up. In the gym, gang pieces become bigger and may score respect. Tarantula pieces are built into Scorpion pieces, and Scorpion pieces are built into Cobra pieces. If a Cobra piece is put into the gym, they earn a player 1 Respect each. Tarantulas and Scorpions are exchanged for their proper advancement in the court system and put directly in the yard. Cobra pieces, if used for respect, are put directly in the yard and the player advances his respect on the respect track.

Cafeteria Trade Block (No Fighting)

When a player chooses this action block, 3 random shank cards and 3 random drug chips are placed face up. These items are available for purchase along with the top row of new arrivals on the bus (1 Cobra, Scorpion and Tarantula piece) and also a choice of Respect, either 2, 1, or 1 respect. (As printed; the sheet lists "2, 1, or 1".)

Beginning with the initiating player and going clockwise, players may purchase one available item with one commissary cube, or pass. If a gang piece is chosen, the player must place a gray disc over the item and take the proper piece from the court system and put it directly in the yard. The piece cannot be used until the next year. If respect is chosen, players must place their commissary cube over the amount of respect purchased. No one else may buy previously purchased goods or respect.

After all players have purchased one item or passed, all spent items are placed in their appropriate discard piles.

Example: Cafeteria set up. Players may buy 1 available item.

Guard Influence Block (No Fighting)

Bribe chips are purchased here for the cost of either 2 Shank Cards, 2 Drugs, or 2 Commissary cubes, or a mix of any 2 items (ex. 1 Shank Card and 1 Commissary cube). Beginning with the initiating player and going clockwise, each player may purchase as many available Bribe chips as they want. It is possible the bribe chips will run out before everyone has a chance to purchase some.

If the action is initiated and no bribe chips are available, no one purchases any and the action is complete. All spent items are placed in their appropriate discard piles.

Solitary Block

The Solitary confinement block is not an action. Gang member pieces are put in the block if a guard card has been drawn from the fight deck (explained in the Fight Card section). Once put in solitary, gang pieces remain there until the end of a year. Gang pieces can be taken out of solitary using the appropriate bribe action.

At the end of a year, the player with the most gang pieces in Solitary earns 2 respect for the craziest gang. If there is a tie, all players earn 1 respect each. This does not apply after the riot.

There is no limit to how many pieces can be held in Solitary.

Fight Deck Variant

Use 6 Guard Cards for a safer fight deck, or 10 Guard Cards for a very risky fight deck. 8 is recommended for best balance.

Bribe Chip Actions

Bribe chips can be used during fights. One bribe chip can be used by a player at any time during his turn in each round of fighting. A bribe chip can't be used by a player who passes during his turn. Players must be fighting (drawing fight cards or playing shank cards) to use a bribe chip. In using a bribe chip, a player may use any one of the 6 actions specified on the bribe actions card. Bribe chips can be used on any player that has gang pieces involved in the current fight, even on players who have passed. Bribe chips can't be used on players not represented in the current fight. After a bribe chip has been used, it is placed back into the guard influence action block.

A player may choose any one of these Bribe Actions when spending a bribe chip:

1. Re-Draw Fight Card. If a player is disappointed with a card drawn from the fight deck, he may use one bribe action to discard the unwanted card and redraw 1 fight card or use a shank card. (Bribe Example 1)
2. Add 1 Fight Round. A player, on their turn, may use a bribe chip to draw one more fight card or play a shank card.
3. Bribe 1 Opponent's Gang Piece. (activates any cards) A player may use a bribe chip to take any one gang piece involved in the current fight from another player and place it into their own gang to add strength for the remainder of the fight. The bribed gang piece adds one strength of the gang member type. The bribed gang piece can be bribed back into the owning player's gang. The bribed gang piece can also be used to activate previously drawn cards that are not being represented by gang pieces. After a fight, the bribed gang piece is placed in the yard, and is considered loyal to its original gang. (Bribe Example 2)
4. Use 1 Gang Piece from Solitary. (activates any cards) A player may use a bribe chip to take one of their own gang pieces from solitary confinement and add it to their gang strength in the current fight. The selected gang piece can also be used to activate previously drawn cards that are not being represented by gang pieces.
5. Steal 1 Opponent's Shank, Drug, or Commissary. Players can use a bribe chip to steal one of these goods from a single player. Shanks and Drugs are to be stolen in a random, face down manner. If no player owns the desired good, a player may steal one good from either the shank deck, drug deck, or commissary pile.
6. Kill 1 Opponent's Piece. Players can use a bribe chip to kill any one gang piece of a single player in the current fight. After the gang piece is chosen, it is removed from the game entirely.

Fight and Shank Cards

During a fight, if a player has not passed, they must draw a fight card or play a shank card. These are the effects of each fight power card and shank card if drawn or played.

• Cobra Card: raises +1 Cobra Member strength if at least one Cobra piece is represented in the fight.
• Scorpion Card: raises +1 Scorpion Member strength if at least one Scorpion piece is represented in the fight.
• Tarantula Card: raises +1 Tarantula Member strength if at least one Tarantula piece is represented in the fight.
• Cobra +2 Card: raises +2 Cobra Member strength if at least one Cobra piece is represented in the fight. The same applies with the Scorpion and Tarantula +2 cards.
• Guard Card: The drawing player must choose any one of their own gang pieces involved in the current fight and place it in the solitary confinement block. The piece remains in solitary for the rest of the year.
• Steal Drug Card: The drawing player must steal one random face down drug from a player. If no players have drugs, the player takes one randomly from the drug pile.
• Parole Card: The drawing player must choose any one of their own gang pieces involved in the current fight and remove it from the game. He puts the piece in the box; the gang member has been paroled. The player immediately earns 1 commissary cube. The paroled piece is loyal to his gang and has mailed some money for commissary.
• Steal Shank Card: The drawing player must steal one random face down shank card from a player. The stolen shank may be used immediately in the fight round or held for later use. If no players have shank cards, the player takes one randomly from the shank deck.

Shank Cards

Shank cards have the same value as the matching fight deck cards, +1 strength. Playing shank cards is safer than drawing from the risky fight deck. When played, a shank card increases the gang member type, if the appropriate piece is represented. Players can play shank cards if they don't have matching gang member pieces. The shank card just counts as 0, same as fight cards.

Examples

Fight Action Example

• A. Initiating player chooses the Commissary action block.
• B. Because this is a fighting action, all fight rounds begin with the player to the left of the Initiator and end with the Initiator himself.
• C. In their fists, players select gang pieces to fight, open fists together and set the pieces up in their fight area. 1 gang member = +1 strength of the gang member type.
• D. In round 1, all "fighting" players must draw 1 fight card or play 1 shank card. Players may play 1 bribe chip per fight round.
• E. Round 2, same as in round 1.
• F. In round 3, all "fighting" players must draw 2 fight cards or play 2 shank cards, or 1 of each.

Scoring Examples

These examples are referenced in the rule book.

• Example 1. Ross has most of one type. Sarah has 4 Scorpion strength, 4 Tarantula strength and 1 Cobra strength at the end of the fight. Ross has 5 Tarantula strength and 1 Cobra strength. Ross is stronger for having the most of one type, in this case Tarantula strength.
• Example 2. Sarah has most of the stronger gang members. Sarah has 4 Scorpion strength and 3 Cobra strength at the fight's end. Ross has 4 Tarantula strength, 1 Cobra strength, and 1 Scorpion strength. Sarah wins this fight because the tie breaker reads Scorpions are stronger than Tarantula.
• Example 3. Sarah has the most of a second type. Sarah has 4 Cobra strength and 3 Scorpion strength at the end of the fight. Ross has 4 Cobra strength and 2 Tarantula strength. Sarah is stronger; her 3 Scorpions beat Ross's 2 Tarantulas.
• Example 4. In a deadlock, Keith, the initiator, is strongest, followed in clockwise order by Sarah and Ross. Sarah, Ross and Keith each have 3 Scorpion strength and 2 Cobra strength. Keith, with the Initiator disc, is stronger, followed by Sarah to his left and then Ross.

Bribe Examples

These examples are referenced in the rule book.

• Bribe Example 1. Ross draws a guard card from the fight deck. He must choose a gang piece to go to solitary confinement. He does not like this prospect and discards the guard card. He spends one bribe chip to redraw a fight card.
• Bribe Example 2. Sarah has drawn 3 Tarantula strength cards but has no Tarantula pieces represented. She bribes one of Keith's Tarantula pieces into her fight area, now activating all of her Tarantula cards. She now has a strength of 4 Tarantula.

Riot Example

• After the third year, players remove their pieces from the Yard and Solitary, and set them up for a Riot.
• Players set up ALL of their pieces in their fight area in the appropriate categories.
• After 3 rounds of fighting, Yellow wins and earns 2 fight points. After 3 rounds of fighting, or all have passed, the strongest gang earns two Fight Points.