TENTRICKS Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • Game Objective
• Components
• Game Setup
  • Player Setup
• Gameplay
  • Turn Sequence
• Placing Tentricks Pieces
  • Accessible Piece
• Raising the Limit Bar
  • Bonus: Completing 3 Rows
  • Bonus: Completing 4 Rows
• Dropping the Limit Bar
• Effect Tokens
  • Gaining Effect Tokens
  • Types of Effect Tokens
  • Effects of the Tokens
  • Effect Token Rules
  • Useful Tips
• End of the Game
  • Being Eliminated
  • End of the Game
• Increasing Difficulty: Game Modes for Experienced Players
  • Drop the Limit Bar
  • Revealing the Next Level Card
  • No Pieces When a Card Is Revealed
  • Same Color Can't Touch
  • Removing Extra Pieces During Setup
  • The Turn Ends When You Place a Tentricks Piece
• Game Variant: Random Setup

Introduction

2-4 players. For ages 8 and up. 15 minutes per player.

Game Objective

Your objective is to avoid being eliminated from the game. To do so, you must carefully place the Tentricks pieces indicated by the cards on your player board, while trying to avoid the Limit Bar from reaching your pieces. Additionally, during the game, you can gain Effect tokens that will grant you benefits and interfere with your opponents' plans.

Components

• 4 Player boards
• 30 Tentricks cards
• 4 Reference cards
• 1 fabric bag
• 120 Tentricks pieces
• 1 Next Level card
• 4 Limit Bars
• 40 Effect tokens

Game Setup

The setup of every game of Tentricks varies depending on the number of players.

1. Tentricks pieces: Based on the number of players, return the following pieces to the box:

   • In 4-player games, do not remove any Tentricks pieces from the game.
   • In 3-player games, remove 3 Tentricks pieces of each type.
   • In 2-player games, remove 6 Tentricks pieces of each type.

   Arrange the remaining pieces on the table according to their shape to create the supply and place them within reach of all players.

2. Tentricks deck: Set apart the Next Level card and shuffle the remaining cards. Based on the number of players, place the Next Level card in the corresponding position of the deck, as follows:

   • In 4-player games, take 5 cards from the bottom of the deck, place the Next Level card on top of them, and then the rest of the deck.
   • In 3-player games, take 10 cards from the bottom of the deck, place the Next Level card on top of them, and then the rest of the deck.
   • In 2-player games, take 15 cards from the bottom of the deck, place the Next Level card on top of them, and then the rest of the deck.

   Place the deck face down in the center of the table within reach of all players and leave room for a discard pile next to it.

3. Effect tokens: Put 1 Effect token of each type per player in the bag and return the rest to the box. Leave the bag on the table, within reach of all players.

Player Setup

Each player takes:

• 1 Player board.
• 1 Limit Bar, which they must place on the starting area of their board.
• 1 Reference card.

Randomly choose the starting player. The starting player must flip over their Limit Bar so the starting player icon is visible. The starting player only indicates the beginning of the round and does not change throughout the game.

NOTE: The dotted line on your Player board indicates where to place the Limit Bar during your first games.

Gameplay

Each game of Tentricks is played during an indefinite number of turns and ends when 1 of the 2 following conditions is met:

• A. At the end of a player's turn, if the rest of the players have been eliminated, the remaining player wins the game.
• B. At the end of a player's turn, if all the players have been eliminated, including that player, nobody wins the game.

Turn Sequence

Beginning with the starting player and continuing clockwise, each player takes a turn until 1 of the above end-game conditions is met.

IMPORTANT: At the beginning of each round (i.e. at the beginning of the starting player's turn), EVERY player removes the Effect tokens with a closed lock icon from their board.

During your turn, follow these steps in order:

1. Reveal a card. This card indicates the Tentricks piece you must place on your board this turn. If the revealed card is the Next Level card, drop EACH PLAYER'S Limit Bar 1 row and shuffle the discard pile with the remaining cards to create a new deck (see "Next Level card" under Dropping the Limit Bar).
2. Place 1 piece. Take the piece indicated by the card from the supply and place it on your Player board (see placement rules below). Then, discard the card by placing it face up on top of the discard pile, next to the deck.
3. Play effects. Play as many Effect tokens as you wish at the corresponding moment (see the rules regarding Effect tokens below).
4. End your turn. The next player starts their turn.

Placing Tentricks Pieces

Each Tentricks piece has a different shape. You can flip and rotate a Tentricks piece as much as you wish before placing it. Once you have decided the orientation of the Tentricks piece, place it on the topmost position available on your board, right under the Limit Bar, in the column of your choice. Then, slide the Tentricks piece down the column without rotating it.

The Tentricks piece moves down until it reaches the bottom of your board or until another piece blocks its movement. Once it reaches the bottom, you can move it left or right just 1 space (if it is not blocked by the adjacent pieces or the edge of the board). From that point on, that Tentricks piece is locked on the board and you won't be able to move it unless an Effect token allows you to.

Tentricks pieces always drop to the bottom of the board, or land on a previously placed piece without going through it.

CLARIFICATION: Imagine the Tentricks piece drops from the Limit Bar. If it can reach the bottom without hitting any obstacles, place it at the bottom of the board. If you have space to maneuver, you may move it and place it under another Tentricks piece. You may slide the piece ONLY 1 SPACE in either direction.

The Tentricks pieces you place cannot stick out from the board nor overlap other pieces previously placed.

If you complete 1 or more rows on your board, your Limit Bar raises as many rows as the number of rows completed (see below).

IMPORTANT: When you place a Tentricks piece, if any part of it overlaps the Limit Bar, you will be ELIMINATED from the game.

Example: You place the pink Tentricks piece and continue playing (pieces can touch the Limit Bar). Then you place the green Tentricks piece. Since part of it overlaps the Limit Bar, you are eliminated.

Accessible Piece

A Tentricks piece is considered accessible if you can move it upwards without having to move it sideways first nor move any other Tentricks pieces.

Raising the Limit Bar

Your Limit Bar raises when you complete rows during the game.

The Limit Bar raises every time you complete a row on your board, increasing the available spaces to place Tentricks pieces.

When you complete 1 or more rows with Tentricks pieces, raise the Limit Bar as many rows as those completed during your turn. If you complete 3 or 4 rows during a single turn, you gain additional benefits.

Example: When you play your blue Tentricks piece on the left side of your board, you complete 2 rows and, therefore, the Limit Bar raises 2 rows. Now you have more space to place your Tentricks pieces.

Bonus: Completing 3 Rows

Choose 1 available Tentricks piece from the supply and put it "on standby" on the corresponding space of your player board. During your next turn, place the chosen Tentricks piece instead of revealing a card.

NOTE: This is the space for your Tentricks pieces "on standby", gained thanks to bonuses or effects.

Bonus: Completing 4 Rows

Choose 1 available Tentricks piece from the supply and put it "on standby" on the corresponding space of your player board. During your next turn, place the chosen Tentricks piece instead of revealing a card.

Additionally, draw 1 Effect token from the bag.

Dropping the Limit Bar

During the game, your Limit Bar can drop too, reducing the spaces available on your board. You cannot perform any actions or play an Effect token before dropping the Limit Bar. Your Limit Bar drops in 2 cases:

IMPORTANT: Do NOT reveal a card in either of these 2 circumstances, since the round continues to the next player's turn.

• If you reveal a Tentricks card and the supply has run out of the corresponding Tentricks piece: The Limit Bar of EVERY PLAYER immediately drops 1 row.

  Example: You reveal the card with the light green Tentricks piece, but there aren't any left in the supply. Every player drops their Limit Bar 1 row.

• If you reveal the Next Level card: The Limit Bar of EVERY PLAYER immediately drops 1 row. Next, create a new deck. Set apart the Next Level card and shuffle the discard pile with the rest of the cards. Place the Next Level card exactly as during setup, even if 1 or more players were already eliminated.

  Example: You reveal the Next Level card. Every player drops their Limit Bar 1 row. Create a new Tentricks deck.

  Example: During your turn, you reveal the Next Level card. Now every player drops their Limit Bar 1 row. Your Limit Bar overlaps with the green Tentricks piece on your board, therefore you are immediately eliminated from the game.

ELIMINATED: When dropping the Limit Bar for any reason, if it overlaps any of your Tentricks pieces, you are immediately ELIMINATED from the game.

Effect Tokens

Gaining Effect Tokens

During your turn, you may play 1 or more Effect tokens before and/or after revealing a Tentricks card. Keep in mind that some tokens can be used during another player's turn.

During the game, you can gain tokens in 2 ways:

1. When you cover an Effect icon after placing a Tentricks piece on your board.
2. When you place a Tentricks piece completing 4 rows simultaneously (see "Bonus: Completing 4 rows").

LIMITED TOKENS: Keep in mind that there are less Effect tokens than effect icons on the boards. Therefore, if the tokens run out, you won't be able to gain any more.

Each token has an effect that you can use to perform special actions. Depending on the effect, some can be played during your turn, your opponent's turn, or both. You can play any number of Effect tokens. If 2 or more players want to play an Effect token at the same time, resolve the effects in turn order, starting with the active player and continuing clockwise.

Once resolved, remove those Effect tokens from the game by returning them to the game box.

If you use a token against an opponent, flip it over so it shows the closed lock icon and place it on the lock space of your OPPONENT'S board. No other player can play Effect tokens that affect that player until the beginning of the next round. (Now the player is protected from new effects.)

Whenever you gain an Effect token, draw 1 token at random from the bag. You can use the token immediately or save it for later in the game by placing it face up on your board. There are 4 spaces available on your board to store Effect tokens. If you ever gain a fifth token, you must use immediately or discard 1 of your Effect tokens.

REMEMBER: At the beginning of each round (the beginning of the starting player's turn), every player must remove the Effect tokens showing a closed lock icon from their board.

Types of Effect Tokens

There are 10 types of Effect tokens. The color of the token indicates when you can play it:

• ORANGE: During an opponent's turn.
• BLUE: During your turn.
• ORANGE and BLUE: Anytime.

IMPORTANT: When placing Tentricks pieces on another player's board you can place them wherever you wish (if the placement is valid), even if it doesn't suit your opponent and as long as the Tentricks pieces NEVER overlap their Limit Bar.

Effects of the Tokens

During an opponent's turn (orange)

• When an opponent reveals a card, you decide where they place their Tentricks piece.
• When an opponent reveals a card, take the indicated Tentricks piece and put it "on standby" in the corresponding space of your board. Then, your opponent must reveal another card. During your next turn, instead of revealing a card, place the Tentricks piece you have "on standby" on your board.
• At the end of an opponent's turn, they must play an extra turn: the opponent must reveal another card and place the corresponding Tentricks piece on their board.

During your turn (blue)

• Take 1 accessible Tentricks piece from your board. Remove it from the game (return it to the game box).
• Take 2 accessible Tentricks pieces from your board. The second Tentricks piece may be a piece made accessible after removing the first piece. Then, place those Tentricks pieces wherever you choose on your board in any order, following the placement rules.

During your turn or an opponent's turn (orange and blue)

• Exchange 1 of your Tentricks pieces for 1 Tentricks piece of an opponent (you may choose pieces that are placed or not on the board, recently gained with a card, or "on standby" in the corresponding space of the boards). Both Tentricks pieces must be accessible. Each player places the new Tentricks piece on their board.
• Take 1 Effect token from an opponent's board. You can use it immediately or place it in an available space on your board.
• When another player plays an Effect token, cancel its effect regardless of who it affects, whether it favors them or harms another player.

During your turn (blue), continued

• After placing your Tentricks piece, place 1 Tentricks piece of the same type on an opponent's board.
• Instead of revealing a card, choose 1 available Tentricks piece from the supply and put it "on standby" in the corresponding space of your board.

Effect Token Rules

When you relocate pieces after playing an Effect token, previously completed rows might then be incomplete, or previously covered effect icons might then be uncovered. If you complete any of those rows or cover any of those symbols again during the same turn the Effect token was played, do the following:

• If the Effect token was played by an opponent, raise your Limit Bar and gain a token as usual.
• If you played the Effect token, you neither raise the Limit Bar nor gain an Effect token. However, if you complete any of those rows or cover any of those Effect icons during later turns, then you do raise your Limit Bar and gain Effect tokens as usual.

That is, when resolving the effect of one of your tokens, if a previously completed row is no longer complete or a covered icon is uncovered, you do not gain the usual benefits if you complete them or cover them during the current turn. However, if you do it during future turns, you do gain those benefits as usual.

Example (step 1): During your turn, you play 1 Effect token (number 4) to exchange your pink Tentricks piece for the purple Tentricks piece of another player.

Example (step 2): Then, you place the purple Tentricks piece on your board. Although you complete 3 rows, only 1 of them is new. You raise the Limit Bar only 1 row. When you place the purple Tentricks piece, you cover an effect icon, but you cannot gain a new Effect token.

Example (step 1): During your turn, you play 1 Effect token (number 8) to relocate the green Tentricks piece and the purple Tentricks piece on your board. When you move those pieces, you uncover 2 effect icons.

Example (step 2): When you place the purple Tentricks piece, you cover the Effect icon, but you cannot gain a token. The new placement of these pieces completes 3 rows, but only 2 of them are new, so you will raise your Limit Bar just 2 rows. The Effect icon you uncovered when you removed the Tentricks piece will be available the next turn.

IMPORTANT: When you use an Effect token to place a Tentricks piece on another player's board, that piece cannot overlap their Limit Bar, meaning that you cannot eliminate another player by placing a Tentricks piece on their Limit Bar. However, you can eliminate a player by forcing them to place a piece on their own Limit Bar.

Example: You CANNOT place the green Tentricks piece here to eliminate the player.

Example: You CAN place the green Tentricks piece here, blocking other pieces.

Useful Tips

Use your Effect tokens wisely to perform interesting combinations. You might want to place your Tentricks pieces in different positions depending on your strategy:

• You can complete the same rows several times to raise your Limit Bar.
• You can cover the same Effect icon several times to gain more tokens.

End of the Game

Being Eliminated

During the game, you can be eliminated in 2 ways:

1. If a Tentricks piece you place overlaps the Limit Bar, you are eliminated from the game.
2. If you must drop your Limit Bar so it overlaps a piece on your board, you are eliminated from the game.

NOTE: Eliminated players must discard all their Effect tokens. Obviously, the remaining players cannot play tokens against them.

End of the Game

A game of Tentricks can have 2 different outcomes:

1. Victory: If every other player is eliminated and you manage to complete your final turn. In other words, if you are the last player in the game and you are not eliminated during your final turn, you win the game!
2. Defeat: If the rest of the players were eliminated and, during your final turn, you are also eliminated for an overlap between the Limit Bar and a Tentricks piece, everyone loses.

Increasing Difficulty: Game Modes for Experienced Players

If you are already familiar with Tentricks, try these 6 different game modes, combined or separately, to increase the difficulty level.

Drop the Limit Bar

During setup, place the Limit Bar 1 or 2 rows lower in all boards.

Revealing the Next Level Card

When you reveal the Next Level card, every player's Limit Bar drops 2 rows instead of 1.

No Pieces When a Card Is Revealed

If you reveal a card and the piece shown has RUN OUT, every player's Limit Bar drops 2 rows instead of 1.

Same Color Can't Touch

During the game, you cannot place 2 Tentricks pieces of the same color next to each other, unless you have no other choice besides being eliminated.

Removing Extra Pieces During Setup

During setup, after removing the corresponding Tentricks pieces according to the number of players, reveal the first card of the deck. Then, remove as many pieces of the type shown as the number of players (return those Tentricks pieces to the box). Place the card on top of the discard pile. As a result, those pieces will run out faster and the Limit Bars will drop quicker during the game.

Example: The card revealed shows a light green Tentricks piece. In a 3-player game, there would be 9 in the supply. Remove 3 pieces, leaving only 6 available in the supply during the game.

The Turn Ends When You Place a Tentricks Piece

Your turn only ends when you have placed 1 Tentricks piece on your board. Regardless of whether you reveal the Next Level card or a card showing a Tentricks piece no longer in the supply, you must continue revealing cards until you can place 1 Tentricks piece on your board or you are eliminated from the game.

This game mode makes it easier to be eliminated, so it is also harder to end the game with a winner. In this mode, you might have to drop your Limit Bar more than once per turn, since you must continue revealing cards in order to place 1 Tentricks piece on the board if the pieces revealed are no longer available in the supply.

Example: After you reveal the Next Level card, every player drops their Limit Bar 1 row. Then, instead of ending your turn, you continue revealing cards (and dropping the Limit Bar if required) until you can place 1 Tentricks piece on your board or you are eliminated.

Game Variant: Random Setup

For a more unpredictable game, put all the Effect tokens in the bag during setup and remove tokens AT RANDOM according to the number of players; return those tokens to the box without looking at them.

• In 4-player games, do not remove any tokens from the game.
• In 3-player games, remove 10 tokens at random.
• In 2-player games, remove 20 tokens at random.