The Queen's Gambit: The Board Game
The Queen's Gambit: The Board Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup
Place the board in the center of the table. Select one of the Setup Cards and place the round Chess Tokens on the board as shown on the Setup Card. The color of each piece (white or black) does not matter. The number on each token is the number of points the token is worth.
Each player selects a "Gambit" and the matching colored deck of 12 Cards. During the game, players only draw and play cards from their own deck.
There are four starting spots on the Setup Card. Each player will select one of these spots and place their Gambit on the matching space of the board.
The oldest player selects where to place their Gambit first. Continuing counterclockwise, players place their Gambit on one of the remaining starting spots.
The player who places their Gambit last will be the first to move.
You are now ready to begin.
The Gambit
Your Gambit is a special piece that moves like a Bishop, Rook, Queen, or Knight.
- Bishop: Move your Gambit diagonally like a Bishop.
- Rook: Move your Gambit in a straight line like a Rook.
- Queen: Move your Gambit in a straight line or diagonally, like a Queen.
- Knight: Move your Gambit in an "L" shape like a Knight. The Knight is the only piece that can pass over other pieces on the board.
As in a real game of chess, if your Gambit ends its move on any other chess piece, it takes it. Replace the taken piece with your Gambit. You may never pass through another piece, and you may never land on or pass through another player's Gambit, except whit the regular move of the Knight.
Planning Your First Three Moves
Each player shuffles their deck and draws five cards. Use these cards to plan out the first three moves of your Gambit. All players play three cards FACE DOWN in front of them. The card on the left will be your Gambit's first move. When you are done, draw one card, so you have three cards in your hand.
When everyone is ready, resolve the first player's turn. Play continues clockwise around the table.
TIP: When planning your movies, remember to take into account the potential moves of your opponents. Try to capture the more valuable pieces before your opponents to disrupt their plans!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Only Gambits move on the board. The Chess Tokens stay on the same space throughout the game.
Taking Your Turn
On your turn, reveal the leftmost card in front of you. Then move your Gambit based on which card you revealed. If you end your turn on a space with a chess token, you capture the token.
After your move, select a card from your hand and place it FACE DOWN to the right of the two other cards in front of you. This way you always have the next three moves of your Gambit planned out.
To end your turn, draw back up to three cards. If your draw pile has run out of cards, reshuffle your discards and start a fresh draw pile.
Face Down Cards
Your memory is your best ally to become a chess master. You may not look at the face down cards in front of you.
Exception: Younger players can be allowed to look at the cards in front of them, but they must not change the order of the cards.
Ending the Game
The game ends immediately when the last Chess Token is captured. Players then add up their points. Whoever has the highest score wins!
In the rare case of a tie, the player who went closest to last wins the tie.