Tiffin Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Start Player
• A Player's Turn
  • 1. Place a Tiffin
  • 2. Draft Two Cards
  • 3. Play a Card
  • Two of the Same Card Make a Wild
  • Card Effects and Special Cards
• The Competitor
  • Completing a Route
  • The Competitor's Turn
  • Example of the Competitor's Turn
• Scoring
  • Route Fee
  • Delivery Fee
  • Example of Scoring
  • Prepare for the Next Route
• Game End
• Card Effects Reference
• Special Cards
• Artistic License
• Quick Reference
  • Setup
  • Play
  • The Competitor
  • Scoring
  • Game End

Components

• 80 Player cubes in 4 different colors
• 20 Competitor cubes
• 45 Delivery cards
• 4 Flat Tire cards
• 4 Shortcut cards
• 10 double-sided Route cards
• 9 Tiffin Tracking cards
• 1 Competitor Track card
• 1 Score Track
• 4 double-sided Player Reference cards

Setup

1. Have each player choose a color and take the corresponding 20 Player cubes.
2. Give each player a Player Reference card, a Shortcut card, and a Flat Tire card.
3. Place the Score Track in the play area and have each player place one of their Player cubes next to the Score Track.
4. Place the Competitor Track card face up in the play area and one of the Competitor cubes on the 0 space of the track.
5. Sort the Tiffin Tracking cards in ascending order and place them face-up in the play area with the 0 delivered card face-up on the top, indicating no deliveries made.
6. Shuffle the 10 Route cards – be sure to flip a few of them back-to-front so they are on a random side. Deal 3 Route cards to the play area and place the remaining 7 Route cards on the table to form a Route Card Draw Deck. The next route will always be visible, but not yet playable.
7. Shuffle the 45 Delivery cards and deal 4 cards to each player. Turn 6 cards face-up in a line in the play area to form the Draft Pool. Place the remaining cards face down to form a Delivery Card Draw Deck.

Start Player

The players should determine the starting player using any random method. Starting with the start player, the players take turns in clockwise order until the game ends.

A Player's Turn

On a player's turn, the player takes one of the following actions:

1. Place a tiffin
2. Draft two cards
3. Play a card

1. Place a Tiffin

The current player places a tiffin (a cube of their color) on the leftmost open tiffin square. A player may only place tiffins on an unstarted route.

An unstarted route is one that does not have any progress in the form of cubes toward its distance of 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16. A player may not place a tiffin on a route that is already started – the bicycle has already left.

Upon the route's completion, the player will receive a delivery fee (victory points) for the tiffin just placed.

The players that contribute the most to the route's progress will share a route fee (victory points).

2. Draft Two Cards

The current player takes two cards – either from the draft pool, draw deck, or one from each.

The player adds the cards to their hand. Whenever a player selects a card from the draft pool, it is immediately replaced with a new card from the draw deck before any further cards are selected.

If a player has more than 7 cards (not counting the Shortcut and Flat Tire cards), the player now discards down to 7.

A player may take two 1 cards from the draft pool as if they were a single card. A player may do this twice on a single turn, if possible.

When the draw deck is emptied, a player shuffles the discard pile and places it face-down to form the new deck.

NOTE: To keep the draft pool fresh, whenever there are 4 or more of the same color card (excluding grey wildcards), the player should discard the entire pool and draw 6 new cards from the draw deck to form a new draft pool.

3. Play a Card

The current player plays a Delivery card from their hand to an active route and adds cubes to the route's progress track. The card's color must match the route's color. A player may play a grey wildcard on any active route.

An active route is a route with one or more cubes on the progress track from a previous turn or one that contains the required tiffins as stated by the Tiffin Tracking card (see illustration). For instance, if the Minimum Tiffins per Route is 2, a player may only play a card on the route after at least 2 tiffins are on that route or after at least 1 tiffin if a 3 card is played.

The player adds cubes to the route's progress track. The number of cubes added is the same as the Delivery card's number. For instance, when a player plays a 4 card on the route, the player adds 4 of their cubes.

If the number on the card exceeds the number of open squares on the route's progress track, the player only adds as many cubes as there are open squares. For instance, a player can play a 4 card when there are only 3 open squares, but only adds 3 cubes.

After playing the card, the player places it on the Delivery Card Discard Pile.

When playing a 3 card a player may place a tiffin and add cubes to a route on a single turn. The card effect may only be used when a) the route is an unstarted route and b) after placing the tiffin, the number of tiffins is at least equal to the Minimum Tiffins per Route.

Two of the Same Card Make a Wild

A player can play two cards of the same rank and any color together as a single wild card of the same rank. For example, a player could play a green 2 and a red 2 together as a single wild 2. The player still gets the benefit of the card's effect.

Card Effects and Special Cards

Each Delivery card has a special card effect (see "Card Effects Reference").

A player may only use one card effect from a Delivery card each turn. For example, when playing a 2 card for its special "Play with another 2 ..." card effect, a player may not also play a 4 card as a 2 (using its "Play as a 2 of any color" effect). This would use two card effects in the same turn.

The Special Cards are the Flat Tire and Shortcut cards. When playing a Special card, the player must play a Delivery card from their hand on the same route. When played, the player still gets the card effect of the Delivery card he or she played.

When a player plays a Flat Tire or Shortcut card, he or she places it face-up next to the route.

The Competitor

On some of the cards, there is a competitor symbol. For each card played with a competitor symbol, move the competitor cube one space to the right on the competitor track.

NOTE: When combining two cards of the same rank to make a wild of the same rank, if either or both cards have a competitor symbol on them, increase the competitor track by only 1 space.

When the marker on the competitor reaches the number of players, it is the competitor's turn (see "The Competitor's Turn").

Completing a Route

If one or more route progress tracks are full, score the routes (see "Scoring").

The Competitor's Turn

There is another player in the game – the competitor. The competitor places tiffins and contributes to routes. They do not score, but they will influence the value of a route and can knock a player out of the running for first, second, or third place.

When the competitor track reaches the same number as the number of players (2 in a two-player game, 3 in a three-player game and 4 in a four-player game), it is the competitor's turn.

The competitor, if triggered, takes their turn before any routes are scored.

The player who triggered the competitor performs the competitor's turn as follows:

1. Turn over the top two cards of the Delivery Card Draw Deck.

2. For each card matching the color of one or more of the face-up route cards: a. If the route is active, add as many competitor cubes to the route's progress track as the number on the Delivery card. b. If the route is not yet active, place one of the competitor's cubes on the left-most open tiffin square on that card. c. Repeat for each of the matching routes.

   NOTE: Grey wildcards match every face-up route card. If the cards flipped do not match the color of any of the face-up route cards, nothing happens in the above step.

3. Place the two Delivery cards face-up in the Delivery Card Discard Pile.

4. Reset the Competitor Track to 0.

The Competitor symbol may appear on more than one card played by a player, taking the Competitor track beyond the number of players. In this case, move the cube on the Competitor's track up again after resetting to 0 to account for the extra competitor symbols.

For instance, in a three player game with the Competitor Track at 2, a player plays three 1s, each with a Competitor symbol. The competitor track would move up to 3, trigger the Competitor's Turn, and then move up once again to 2 to account for the extra competitor symbols.

When the current player or the competitor completes one or more routes, proceed to Scoring.

NOTE: Ignore the competitor symbols and card effects on the two revealed Delivery cards. The two Delivery cards are only used for placing the competitor's tiffins and adding to the route's progress.

Example of the Competitor's Turn

In the illustration below, a yellow 2 card and a wild 3 card are revealed as the competitor's cards.

• The yellow 2 card adds two of the competitor's cubes to the yellow route. (B)
• The wild 3 card adds only two more of the competitor's cubes to the yellow route's progress track because there were only two spaces available. (C)
• The wild 3 card also adds one of the competitor's cubes as a tiffin to the green route. (D)
• Finally, the wild 3 card also adds three of the competitor's cubes to the blue route's progress track. (E)

(The letters A–E are the markers printed on the illustration. The illustration itself is not reproduced here.)

Scoring

When a route's progress track is full, the route is complete and ready for scoring.

When a player completes two or three routes on the same turn – whether by playing two 2s, many 1s, or the competitor taking their turn – score completed routes from left to right. The players discard the top Tiffin Tracking card after scoring each route.

Players score points in two different ways when scoring a completed route:

1. A route fee based on their contribution to the completion of the route – doubled or tripled with two or three tiffins.
2. A delivery fee for each tiffin delivered – based on the current Tiffin Tracking card.

Each player should add the points they have earned from the route and delivery fees to their score on the Score Track.

NOTE: The competitor does not score points – but they may change who comes in first, second, or third on the route fee.

Route Fee

The player that contributed the most to the completion of the route (i.e. has the most cubes on the route's progress track) receives the highest route fee. The player in second place receives the second highest route fee. Finally, the player in third place receives the last route fee. A player coming in fourth receives no route fee.

The route fee for first, second, and third places depend on how many tiffins are on the route. Use the route fee schedule listed beneath the right-most tiffin cube on the Route card.

If two or more players contributed the same number of progress cubes to a route, the player with more tiffins on that Route card breaks the tie. If there is still a tie, the tied player who contributed the earliest progress cube to the route breaks the tie.

Delivery Fee

Players with tiffins on the route receive a delivery fee for each tiffin arriving at the customer's place of business. This fee is higher closer to lunch time – too early and the food will be cold by lunch, too late and the customer will have missed their lunch break. The top Tiffin Tracking card shows how much the player gets for each tiffin as the Delivery Fee.

Example of Scoring

In the "Scoring" illustration, the yellow player has played a yellow 2 card to place the last cube on the progress track, completing the route.

Route Fee: Since there are three tiffins being delivered on this route, the route fees for first, second and third place will be 21, 15, and 9 rupees (victory points), respectively.

The pink player is tied with yellow for first place. Pink and yellow did not have any tiffins in the route, so pink wins the tie for 21 rupees (points) because he or she was earlier on this route. Yellow comes in second for 15 rupees (points). Blue is tied with brown for third place, but Blue has two tiffins being delivered on this route and brown only has one. So blue wins the tie for 9 rupees (points). Brown comes in fourth and earns no route fee.

Delivery Fee: The top-most Tiffin Tracking card shows that each tiffin earns a player 2 rupees (victory points). Blue gains 4 rupees for the delivery of two tiffins. Brown scores 2 rupees for their single tiffin.

Prepare for the Next Route

1. Each player takes back their cubes from the scored route. Any competitor cubes go back to the competitor's pile.
2. Put any Flat Tire and Shortcut cards played on the completed route into the game box – they are out of the game.
3. Place the completed route card in the Route Card Discard Pile. Move the topmost route card from the Route Deck to the play area to replace the scored route. If you cannot draw a new route because the Route Deck is out of cards, the game ends. See "Game End."
4. Discard the top Tiffin Tracking card. The newly exposed card may change the Minimum Tiffins per Route and/or the Delivery Fee.

NOTE: The number on the top-right of the top-most Tiffin Tracking card should be the same as the number of cards in the Route Card Discard Pile.

Game End

The game ends when there are no more route cards left in the Route Draw Deck to replace a scored route.

As soon as this happens:

1. The competitor completes the remaining two routes: the competitor's cubes are placed on the remaining open spaces on each route's progress track. If the competitor runs out of cubes, assume any open spaces on a route card's progress track are filled with the competitor's cubes.
2. Score the remaining routes.

While the competitor is likely to knock players down a place or two, the players will score a few points for their efforts and tiffins delivered.

After scoring the final routes, the player with the highest score on the score track wins.

Card Effects Reference

Each card has its own special effect which may trigger when a player plays it on a route.

1. "Play with any number of 1 cards on routes matching their colors OR Play and draft a card." When playing a 1, a player may play any number of 1 cards at the same time to any number of active routes. Each card and route's color must still match. Alternatively, a player may play a single 1 card and draft a card from either the Draft Pool or Delivery Card Draw Deck.

2. "Play with another 2 card on the same or different routes matching their colors." When playing a 2, a player may play two 2 cards on a single turn to either the same or two different active routes. Each card and route's color must still match.

3. "Optionally place a tiffin on the same route as this card before playing." Playing a 3 card is the only way to place a tiffin and start that route on the same turn. This may be the first and only tiffin, the second, or the third on the route. Regardless of number, the route must be unstarted before playing and must be active after the player places their tiffin. The player must place the tiffin and play the Delivery card on the same route.

4. "Play as a 2 of any color." A player may play a 4 card either as a 4 on a route of the same color or as if it were a grey 2 wildcard on any route.

As a reminder, a player can only use one card effect each turn, so this does not combine with the 2's card effect.

Special Cards

Each player starts the game with one of each of the following special cards and may play them only once per game. The players put Flat Tire and Shortcut cards played into the game box after scoring.

0. "Flat Tire: Play along with any other card to lengthen a route by 2." A player may play their Flat Tire card along with any Delivery card on a route of any color. The player must play the Flat Tire and Delivery card on the same route.

   When playing a Flat Tire card, the player places it face-up next to the route. The Flat Tire card provides two extra spaces to the progress track for that route. The player that placed the card may immediately make use of one or both of these extra spaces.

1. "Shortcut: Play along with any other card to shorten a route by 2." A player may play their Shortcut card along with any Delivery card on a route of any color. The player must play the Shortcut and Delivery cards on the same route.

   When playing a Shortcut card, the player places it face-up next to the route. The Shortcut card cancels up to two empty spaces on the progress track, making the route 1 or 2 spaces shorter. The card does not remove any cubes. Resolve the Shortcut card after the Delivery card.

Artistic License

The real lunch delivery work of the Mumbai Dabbawallas inspired us to create Tiffin, but we took some artistic license to create a fun, playable game.

The dabbawallas work together as a collective. Each dabbawalla earns the same amount – including the elders, who no longer deliver but help with coordination and serve as back-up. In addition to delivering thousands of hot lunches, dabbawallas also collect the empty tiffins and return them to the customers' homes. There's even a program for distributing uneaten food to those who need it.

We included a competitor in Tiffin to introduce an element of unpredictability and suspense. In fact, there is no competition when it comes to lunch delivery in Mumbai: the dabbawalla collective is the only service of its kind.

We are honored to share the remarkable work of the Mumbai Dabbawallas.

Find out more at http://mumbaidabbawala.in.

Quick Reference

Setup

• Each player starts with 4 Delivery cards, a Shortcut card, and a Flat Tire card.
• 6 Delivery cards form the Draft Pool. If there are ever 4 cards of the same (non-gray) color, immediately discard all and refresh.
• 3 Route cards are always in play.

Play

Take one of the following actions:

1. Place a Tiffin on an unstarted route.
2. Draft two cards either from the draft pool, draw deck, or both. Two 1 cards count as a single card. Max hand size is 7 cards excluding special Shortcut and Flat Tire cards.
3. Play a card. Add cubes to the route's progress track. The card's color and route's color must match. Play two cards of the same rank and any color together as a single wild card of the same rank. Only use one card effect from a Delivery card each turn.

The Competitor

For each card played with a competitor symbol, move the cube one to the right on the competitor track. When the cube reaches the number of players, it is the competitor's turn.

Scoring

The player that contributed the most to the completion of the route gets the highest route fee. In the case of a tie, the player with more tiffins being delivered gets the higher value. If there is still a tie, the tied player who contributed the earliest progress cube to the route gets the higher value. The delivery fee for each tiffin increases as the game progresses:

Tiffins Delivered	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8 or 9
Minimum Tiffins	1	1	2	2	2	3	3	3	1
Delivery Fee	2	2	4	4	4	6	6	8	6

Game End

The game ends when there are no more route cards left in the Route Draw Deck to replace a scored route.