How to play

GOAL

Four players, each on their own. The first to finish all 4 of their marbles in the finish lane wins.

Marbles leave home onto the start square, walk one full lap around the board clockwise, and on passing their own start again enter the 4-square finish lane.

CARDS AND MOVEMENTS

A · Ace

Move 1 or 11 squares. Also lets you bring a marble out of home to the start.

2

Either move 2 squares OR steal one card at random from an opponent's hand. You pick which; the 2 goes to the discard pile either way.

3 · 5 · 6

Move exactly that many squares with one marble.

7

Spread 7 points among your marbles. See below.

8 · 9 · 10

Move exactly that many squares.

4

Exception: the 4 can also go BACKWARDS 4 squares. Useful to enter your finish lane without making the full lap.

J · Jack

Swap two marbles on the outer board: one of yours and any other (your own or an opponent's). Not allowed if the other marble is at home, on its protected start, or in a finish lane.

Q · Queen

Move 12 squares.

K · King

Move 13 squares, or bring a marble out of home to the start.

Wild

Plays as any other card. You decide at the moment you play it.

THE 7 RULE

When you play a 7 you spread the 7 points among whichever of your own marbles you like — one marble 4 + another 3, or one marble all 7.

You cannot jump over your own marbles with a 7: if one of yours blocks the path, that spread is not legal.

CAPTURING

Landing on a square occupied by an opponent's marble sends that marble back home, restarting it from scratch.

Start exception: a freshly-deployed marble on its own start is "Sperre" (a wall). You can neither capture it nor pass over it until it moves.

THE FINISH LANE

Each player has a 4-square finish lane that goes from their start towards the centre. You only enter the lane when you pass your start again after the full lap.

Inside the lane you cannot jump over your own marbles. You also cannot leave the lane: once in, you stay. Marbles in the lane and the finish are safe from any capture.

INITIAL EXCHANGE

Before each round you pick one card and pass it face-down to the player on your left. Then the play phase starts. Rounds deal 6, 5, 4 and 3 cards in cycle — every lap is different.

If on your turn you have no legal move you discard your whole hand and wait for the next round.