Across the Continent
Across the Continent Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Starting Cities
There are FIVE Starting Cities on the EAST Coast when traveling WEST, — BOSTON — NEW YORK — WASHINGTON — SAVANNAH and MIAMI; and FIVE on the WEST Coast used when traveling EAST, — VANCOUVER — SEATTLE — PORTLAND — SAN FRANCISCO and LOS ANGELES.
WHEN TWO PLAY, ONE player starts from one of the EAST Coast cities and the other player from the WEST Coast.
WHEN THREE PLAY, TWO players start from TWO different cities on the EAST Coast and the third player from one of the cities on the WEST Coast.
WHEN FOUR PLAY, TWO players start from TWO different cities on the EAST Coast and the other TWO players from TWO different cities on the WEST Coast, or they may play as partners. (See Rules for Four Players on Page 4.)
Rules for Two Players
SEPARATE EAST-BOUND and WEST-BOUND tickets and turn them FACE DOWN in two piles upon the table.
Each player takes a dice cup and two dice.
THE PLAYER STARTING FROM THE EAST draws a WEST-BOUND ticket and THE PLAYER from the WEST an EAST-BOUND ticket.
No TWO players ever start from the SAME CITY, so if any player draws a route ticket starting from the same city as another ticket already drawn, that player draws again.
Each player places his playing piece upon the STARTING CITY as shown at the top of his ticket and the play begins.
PLAY IN TURN. Each player throws TWO DICE and moves his piece the total of the two dice towards the Second City as shown on his ticket.
A player MUST ALWAYS take the most direct and shortest route between cities and EACH CITY MUST BE REACHED BY EXACT COUNT OF THE DICE.
NOTE. — If the sum of the two dice will carry a player's piece past a city at which he must stop, he may move only the number of spots shown on EITHER ONE of the dice (instead of the sum of both dice).
EXAMPLE. — If a player throws 3 — 5, he may move either 3 spaces, 5 spaces, or 8 spaces. If he is too near the city to use either die, he loses his turn.
IF DOUBLETS ARE THROWN, that is "two, two" or "six, six," a player HAS AN EXTRA TURN, and throws and moves again unless he cannot play at all, in which event he does not get another throw. He thus continues playing as long as he continues throwing doublets.
NOTE. — When a player has reached a city named on his ticket, he rests there until his turn again comes (whether he has just previously thrown doublets or not).
Pieces approaching from different directions may pass by each other on the same Railroad, but CANNOT REST UPON THE SAME SPACE. (When passing another piece on the same track, count the space occupied as if clear.)
When a player reaches his ATLANTIC (East), or PACIFIC (West), Coast destination as shown by the LAST City on his ticket, that ticket is then placed face down at the bottom of its pile and on his NEXT TURN the player draws a NEW TICKET from the other pile for his return trip.
If this return ticket names a starting city other than that on which the player has landed, he travels to that city by NON-STOP EXPRESS and immediately places his playing piece on that city in ONE MOVE without the use of the dice. On his next turn, he starts his return trip, playing as before.
If a player crosses the Continent and returns before his opponent completes his tour, he WINS THE GAME.
Rules for Three Players
When three play, TWO players start from the East Coast and the third player starts from the West Coast.
Follow rules as in Game for Two Players.
Rules for Four Players
It is optional to play individually, as in Rules for Two Players, or as partners.
PLAY AS PARTNERS. One partner of each team starts from the East Coast and the second partner of each team starts from the West Coast.
Draw tickets and play with the same rules as in Rules for Two Players.
The game is WON by the partners who first complete their tours. EXAMPLE — A and B play against C and D. A and C start from the WEST Coast and B and D from the EAST. A and C draw East-Bound tickets and B and D West-Bound tickets.
Throw dice and play in turn.
When an East-Bound player reaches the LAST city named on his ticket on the East Coast by exact count, he draws a West-Bound ticket, and on his next turn starts his return trip.
When a West-Bound player reaches the LAST city named on his ticket on the West Coast, he draws an East-Bound ticket to return.
When a player's piece reaches home by exact throw after having crossed the Continent, that player retires from the game. The game is won by the PARTNERS FIRST RETIRING (i.e., completing their tours).