Think Str8! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Aim of the Game
• Contents
• Game Set-Up
• How to Play
  • 1. Throwing the Dice
  • 2. Placing Your Bets
  • 3. Checking the Bets and Scoring Points
  • Exchanging Cards
• End of the Game
  • Example of Scoring

Aim of the Game

… is to be the first to guess his own numbers. The player to get the most points wins the game.

Contents

• 4 card holders
• 48 cards with the numbers 0 to 7 in 6 colours
• 4 cylinder stones in each of the 4 players' colours
• 1 game board with 4 betting tracks
• 7 betting tokens in 7 different sizes
• 3 coloured dice
• 1 deduction pad

Furthermore, you need one pencil per person and perhaps a rubber (not included in the game).

Game Set-Up

Before the first game, you must carefully press the cards out of the perforated boards. Be very careful not to damage them in doing so, so that the cards do not become marked.

Place a card holder in front of each player. If there are less than four players playing, then place the remaining card holders in such a way that everyone can see them well.

Place the game board in the centre of the table, easily accessible for everyone. Then place one cylinder stone for each player on the start square with the arrow and stack them one on top of the other. The betting tokens and the coloured dice are placed within easy reach on the table.

Shuffle the cards, keeping the colours separate, and place the individual stacks face down next to the game board.

Note for the initial games: For the first few games, we recommend playing with 5 card colours only. So, return all the grey cards to the box. If during the game, grey is thrown, the thrower may turn this die (these dice) onto a colour of his choice (in the case of several dice, also onto different colours).

Without looking at them, return one card of each colour back to the box. You will not need these cards any more during the game. However, you should keep at the back of your mind that one of the numbers 0 to 7 of each colour is not in the game.

Now, each one of you takes one card of each colour and places it in your card holder, facing away from you. It's best of you keep to the colour sequence on the pad.

ATTENTION: You may NOT look at your own cards. You can only see the front side of your fellow players' cards.

If two or three people are playing, fill the remaining card holders with cards (one per colour), so that everyone can see them clearly.

Note: No matter whether two, three or four of you are playing, all card holders are always placed in position and filled with cards. For example, if two of you are playing, there are two card holders which do not belong to anyone, but in which cards have been inserted and which are clearly visible for both players.

Now each player places a sheet from the deduction pad in front of him on the table and takes a pencil. Completely black out those boxes containing the numbers of your fellow players and those on the card holders without players, since in no way will you be able to have those cards in your card holder, neither now nor during the game. Do not let your fellow players see your deduction sheet.

Important: When you later draw conclusions on your cards, it is important to be able to differentiate between the numbers that you cannot have because you have seen them and the numbers you believe you don't have based on deduction.

• Therefore, completely black out boxes with numbers that you have seen;
• and only cross out those boxes with numbers that you exclude purely on the grounds of deduction.

It can happen that you must exchange cards from your card holder. In that case, simply rub out all crosses and leave the blacked out boxes as they are.

Now the game can begin!

How to Play

The game is played over a number of rounds.

• 2 players play 10 rounds,
• 3 players play 9 rounds, and
• 4 players play 8 rounds.

Note: the corresponding lines are marked on the deduction sheet.

Play each round as follows:

• 1. throwing the dice (one for all)
• 2. placing your bets (each for himself)
• 3. checking bets and score points (the others check, the player being checked possibly gets points; applies to all players in turn)

1. Throwing the Dice

The player who is last on the scoring track throws the 3 dice. In the event of a tie, the player whose cylinder stone is on top throws the dice (if you land on a fellow player's space when counting up the points, place your stone on top of the other player's stone). The player throwing the dice may now decide whether he accepts the dice throw as it is. If not, then he may turn one die onto a colour of his choice. When the dice colours are set, he places the dice onto the corresponding spaces on the game board.

Note: When playing the introductory version without grey, and the dice thrower throws grey, he may also turn this die (these dice) onto any other colour.

On his deduction sheet, each player makes a cross in the dice column against the colour thrown and leaves enough space in the box to add another number later, if necessary.

2. Placing Your Bets

Take a look at the colours on the dice and think about which numbers in these colours you could possibly have in your card holders.

Note: You can already exclude some numbers, because you can see the cards of your fellow players. The notes on your deduction sheets will help you!

When you have had your throw, you are the first one to choose one of the betting tokens. The other players also choose betting tokens, the second last on the scoring track is the second one to choose, then the third last etc.

Use the betting tokens to express your estimation of your own cards. Choose a number range on your scoring track where you believe the sum of your numbers to be. Place your betting token on your betting track. You can all do this at the same time.

Example: Katrin has thrown yellow, green and blue. She has not collected much information about her cards in these colours yet, so she decides to use a betting token that covers a relatively large number range. She assumes that the sum of her numbers lies between 9 and 15. She takes the token that covers up 7 spaces and places it on the numbers 9 to 15. The other players also reflect on what the sum of their own yellow, green and blue numbers could be. Then, in the order they stand on the game board, they each choose a betting token (the next one to go is the second last, then the third last etc.) and place it on their betting tracks.

3. Checking the Bets and Scoring Points

Now take it in turns, beginning with the starting player, and check to see if your bets are correct.

Attention! You are not allowed to look at your own cards, but receive hints from your fellow players instead. They tell you, whether your bet was right or wrong.

Dear players! Count up exactly before you pass on the information, so that no mistakes are made. If you make only one mistake, a player's deductions are of no more use to him!

The token is lying in the right position

The sum of the numbers of the colours thrown is within the number range covered by the betting token. Now your fellow players tell you that your estimated range is correct. Note down the number range in the right hand column of your deduction sheet. Now you know that the sum of the numbers of the colours thrown is within this range.

Then you may move as many spaces forwards on the game board as is stated on the betting token.

The token is not lying in the right position

The sum of the numbers is not within the estimated number range. Your fellow players tell you now that your bet was too high, if, indeed, it was too high, or that it was too low, if, indeed, it was too low (when giving someone hints, you must always tell the truth).

Exception: If you have chosen the smallest betting token (which results in the most points), your fellow players may not tell you whether your bet was too high or too low.

Now note down the number range that would have been correct in the right hand column of your deduction sheet.

Since your estimation was wrong, you may not move forwards on the game board.

Example: Inka has estimated a range of 4 to 10. Her fellow players tell her that the sum of her numbers is higher. Therefore, she knows that the sum of her numbers is between 11 and 21, and writes this down in the right hand column of her deduction sheet. Subsequently, the next player's bet is checked.

Exchanging Cards

After all players' betting tokens have been checked, those players that did not bet correctly must exchange one of the cards from their cardholder, in the same order as they are placed on the game board (the last one first etc.). Place any one card from your cardholder face up next to you, so that it can be seen by all players. Then draw one new card, face down, from the stack of the same colour and insert it into your cardholder, without looking at it.

Attention! You can only discard a card of any one colour, if there are still cards of that colour on the draw pile!

Do not forget to completely black out the box with the number of the discarded card on your deduction sheet! Also, write this number in the corresponding dice column of the current round. Thus, you can draw more exact conclusions regarding the other colours were previously thrown together with the colours already discarded by yourself.

Note: By discarding a card, you gain more information. On the other hand, you also lose information, since you no longer have the card on your cardholder. All deductions you have already made for this colour now no longer apply. It's a good idea to erase your deductions (marked with crosses) to avoid confusion.

Your fellow players also get additional information, since they can see your new card.

Example: Markus discards his yellow card. It is a 2. He blacks out the box with the yellow 2 on his deduction sheet. Then he rubs out the crosses on 5, 6 and 7. He had marked these during the game, since in the previous rounds he had deduced that it was not possible for him to have a yellow 5, 6 or 7. Now that he has discarded the 2, these numbers are possible again.

Furthermore, for the current round he also writes a 2 in the yellow dice space. That way, he knows in which round he discarded the 2. Following that, he can make more exact conclusions concerning the other colours thrown together with the 2. He also writes a 4 in the dice column above, since in the previous round yellow was thrown twice (2+2). Since his bet for that round was correct, that his numbers were between 0 and 5, he now knows that in any case his green card must be a 1.

Once you have checked the number ranges of all players, place all your betting tokens back beside the board and the next round begins.

End of the Game

The game ends, when

• you have completed 10 rounds in a game of two players,
• you have completed 9 rounds in a game of three players and
• you have completed 8 rounds in a game of four players.

At the end, you may place bets on the cards in your cardholders. For your final bets, use the space at the bottom left on your deduction sheet. For each colour, you can place one, two or three bets, depending on how sure you are and how much you want to risk. However, the more bets you place, the less points you score, even if you have given the correct answer! When all players have placed their bets, the task is resolved. Compare each player's bets with his cards, beginning with the last player on the scoring track.

If you have bet correctly, and the right number was among your bets, you score the following points:

• for one bet placed: 5 points,
• for two bets placed: 2 points,
• for three bets placed: 1 point.

Move your cylinder stone the corresponding number of spaces forwards on the game board. For every card that you did not guess, you must move backwards 2 spaces on the game board.

At the end, the player standing foremost on the game board wins the game. In the event of a tie, the player standing at the bottom of the stack wins. Should there still be a tie the players sharing the tie share the victory.

Example of Scoring

Markus is in the lead before the final scoring. However, regarding his own cards he is not sure which numbers he has, since he still often has two or three empty spaces per colour on his deduction sheet. Only with green, is he sure that he has a 1. So for his final turn he places 3 bets for blue, yellow, grey and red, 2 for purple and 1 for green. For each colour, he placed a correct bet. Therefore, he scores the following points: 1 point each for the blue, yellow, grey and red cards (3 bets placed, the correct number was among them), 2 points for the purple card and 5 points for the green card. Following that, he may move forwards 11 spaces on the game board.

Inka was more courageous with her bets, but had one wrong number. She scores 2 points each for blue and yellow, since she placed two bets, 5 points each for green and red and 1 placed bet, and for purple 1 point for 3 bets placed. Unfortunately, she guessed grey incorrectly and deducts 2 points for that. In the end, she scores 13 points.

Katrin is in third place. She must take a risk, if she wants to make up her points. Therefore, she decides to place only one bet for yellow, although she is not sure whether she has the 5 or the 6. She decides on the 6, but unfortunately, has the 5. She scores 1 point each for blue and green, 2 for grey and 5 points each for red and purple, deducting 2 points for yellow. In the end, she scores 12 points.

Thomas is in last place before the final scoring. He often guessed incorrect number ranges during the game, but at the same time received more information about his own numbers. Therefore, he takes the risk and only places bets for one number for green, grey and red. He places 2 bets for blue, purple and yellow. His courage is rewarded, he has guessed all cards correctly and therefore scores 21 points. With that, he moves past all the others and wins the game.