Troika
Troika Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents of the Box
- 49 crystal tiles (hereafter "tiles"): 3 tiles of each value from 1 to 15, except for the value 7, of which there are 7 tiles.
- 20 point tokens (3 kinds), with values +2, +1, and -1.
- 1 rulebook.
Setup
- Turn all the tiles face down and shuffle them. This is the table, from which players will take tiles.
- Each player takes one tile, without showing it to the others.
- Turn any one tile on the table face up.
- If only 2 players are taking part in the game, remove 10 tiles from the table without turning them face up.
- At the start, the area next to each player, called the Container, has no tiles in it.
- The youngest player starts the game and becomes the first pioneer.
Goal of the Game
Players are pioneers who have arrived on an unexplored planet in search of unusual stones. They need to collect tiles and earn points. The number of points depends on how many trios of tiles a player manages to collect. One trio consists of 3 tiles.
A trio of three tiles with consecutive numbers (for example, 3, 4, and 5) turns into a precious gem.
A trio of three tiles with the same number (for example, 3, 3, and 3) turns into a fuel-set. Players form trios at the end of each round, so pay close attention as you collect tiles. You must collect at least one fuel-set, or you will not be able to leave the planet. Will you be able to get out of here before all the resources are used up and the planet explodes?
The game consists of three rounds. After each round, a player receives a point token. The player who has collected the most valuable point tokens after three rounds becomes the winner.
Rules of the Game
So, it's your turn.
- Turn one tile on the table face up.
- Now choose option A, B, or C.
A. Move one face-up tile from the table into your Container (also face up).
B. Take one face-down tile from the table into your hand. You may have no more than three tiles in your hand at a time. If you already have three tiles, you cannot choose this option.
C. Choose one tile that is in your hand or in your Container, and discard it onto the table. A tile that was in your hand is discarded onto the table face down. A tile that you took from your Container is discarded face up. Other players may take the tile you discarded when it becomes their turn (option A or B).
- Pass the turn to the next player clockwise.
Trios and Points
After each round, players form trios of three tiles. To do this, they use the tiles that are in their hand and in their Container. The goal is to score as many points as possible. There are two kinds of trios:
A fuel-set is a trio of three tiles of the same value. You do not receive points for a fuel-set, but you need to collect at least one in order to leave the planet. If you failed to collect a fuel-set, you lose the round.
A gem trio is a trio of three tiles with consecutive numbers, for example 1, 2, and 3, or 9, 10, and 11. The number of points you receive depends on the number at the end of the trio. For example, you get 3 points if the trio ends in the number 3, 8 points if it ends in 8, 1 point if it ends in 11, 4 points if it ends in 14, and 0 points if it ends in 10.
*A single tile can only be used to form one trio.
Tiles that are not part of any trio are called trash. For each piece of trash you receive minus 1 point.
The "Troika!" Call
If the game has from 3 to 5 players and it is your turn (see item 1 of Setup), you may shout "Troika!" and leave the planet first, provided the following conditions are met:
- Your Container already contains at least 5 tiles.
- You already have a fuel-set.
- You have no trash (neither in your hand nor in your Container).
If a player shouts "Troika!", they no longer take part in the round. Such a player skips their turns and does not show their tiles to the other players until the end of the round.
The first player to shout "Troika!" receives an additional 5 points for the round.
If a player shouts "Troika!" but the conditions above are not met, they cannot leave the planet — this means they lose the round and receive a "-1" point token. If only 2 players are taking part in the game, the "Troika!" call does not apply.
End of the Round
The round ends when every tile on the table has been turned face up following a player's turn, or when only one player has not shouted "Troika!" (in other words, everyone else has). Players reveal the tiles in their hand, form trios from their tiles, and total their points.
Winner of the Round
Depending on how many points you scored, you receive a point token.
- The player with the highest total score receives a +2 point token.
- The player with the second-highest total score receives a +1 point token.
- Players (one or more) who failed to leave the planet receive a -1 point token.
If two players have the same total score, the winner is whoever sits farthest from the first player, going clockwise.
Players who failed to leave the planet receive only one "minus" point token.
Next Round
Turn all the tiles on the table face down and shuffle them. After setting up again (see Setup), the player who scored the fewest points in the previous round starts the game first.
The game ends after the third round is completed.
*If only 2 players are taking part in the game, put the tiles you removed from the table in the previous round back onto the table, shuffle all the tiles together, and then remove 10 tiles from the table again.
End of the Game
The game ends after the third round is completed. Players total the points on their point tokens. The winner is the player with the highest total score on their point tokens. If players have the same total score on their point tokens, the winner is whoever had the higher tile score in the last round.