Alhambra: The Card Game
Alhambra: The Card Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
- 108 money cards – in 4 different currencies. These are used to buy the "building" cards.
- 54 "building" cards – showing 6 different categories of buildings.
- Each building card shows its Type and its Price.
- 1 construction site – with a symbol for each currency.
- 2 "scoring" cards and 1 summary card.
- Scoring card "A", scoring card "B", and the summary card.
- 1 rulebook.
Object of the Game
Whoever has the most building cards of each kind in their Alhambra at the right time, during a scoring round, is awarded points – the exact amount depending on the type of building. More points are awarded in each scoring round; the winner is the player who has been awarded the most points by the end of the game.
Setting Up
- Place the construction site in the middle of the table.
- Sort the cards ("building" cards, "money" cards, "scoring" cards, and the summary card).
- Shuffle the 54 "building" cards and place them face down in a pile on the table.
- Turn over the first 4 cards and place them from left to right on the construction site.
- Set the 2 "scoring" cards aside for now.
The table below shows the number and the price of each category:
| Price | Number | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2-8 | 7x | Pavilion |
| 3-9 | 7x | Seraglio |
| 4-10 | 9x | Arcades |
| 5-11 | 9x | Chambers |
| 6-12 | 11x | Garden |
| 7-13 | 11x | Tower |
Shuffle the money cards and place them face down in a pile.
Each player receives their starting capital. Each player draws several money cards from the deck and places them in front of themselves, until the total value is at least 20 (the currency does not matter).
Note: this way, everyone is guaranteed a starting sum with a total value between 20 and 28.
Once every player has received their money, each player picks up their cards into their hand. From this point on, everyone's money is secret.
The player with the fewest cards in hand starts the game; in the event of a tie, the player with the smallest total value starts. If there is still a tie, the youngest player starts.
Next, turn over and place side by side, face up, the first 4 money cards from the face-down pile.
Then separate the remaining money cards into 5 piles of equal size. Slide the "scoring A" card into the 2nd pile, and the "scoring B" card into the 4th pile.
Reassemble the piles into a single pile: place the 5th pile at the very bottom, then the 4th, the 3rd, the 2nd, and finally the 1st on top.
Place this pile face down next to the money cards already turned face up. Keep the summary card for the end of the game. Have paper and a pen ready to note the points during each scoring round.
Note: this procedure ensures that the "scoring" cards come out neither too early nor too late, and not immediately one after the other either.
Playing the Game
The player whose turn it is must choose one of 2 possible actions:
- Take money
- Buy a "building" card
The actions in detail
Take money
The player whose turn it is may take whichever face-up money card(s) they wish, as long as their sum is not more than 5 (the currency does not matter).
Example: the player may take the two cards on the left, or one of the other two.
Buy a "building" card
The player whose turn it is may take a face-up "building" card.
To do so, they must pay at least the price shown on the "building" card, in the currency specified on the construction site.
But be careful, no change is given! The money paid forms a discard pile.
If the player can pay the exact price, they play again and choose once more between one of the two actions.
Note: a player may perform this kind of action at most 5 times during their turn (paying the exact price 4 times, plus taking money once).
The player places the "building" card(s) they acquired face up in front of themselves, so that the other players can see at any time how many cards of each category they own.
While it is a player's turn, "building" cards that were taken are not replaced — this only happens at the end of the turn.
Example: Gabi absolutely needs a "garden". The "garden" on offer costs 10 of the blue currency. Gabi has 2 money cards of the right colour in hand and decides to buy the "garden". However, since she does not pay the exact sum (10, but she pays 11), her turn ends. She does not get the change back. Had she paid the exact sum, it would have been her turn again and she would once more have had the choice between the two actions "take money" and "buy a building card". Gabi then places the card she bought with the others she owns.
Once a player has finished their turn, the "building" cards are replaced (from left to right). Money cards are added face up so that 4 are once again available to the next player.
If there are no more cards in the money card pile, the discard pile is shuffled to form a new draw pile.
Play then passes to the next player.
Scoring Rounds
There are 3 scoring rounds in total during the game. The first two scoring rounds, "A" and "B", take place when the matching card is drawn from the money card pile. The third and last scoring round, "C", takes place at the end of the game.
If a "scoring" card is drawn, the scoring round happens immediately, before the next player begins their turn.
The player whose turn comes right after the scoring round places the card in front of themselves. The number of points to distribute is written on the "scoring" card.
Once all the points have been distributed, the "scoring" card is removed from the game and replaced with a new money card.
Points are awarded for each category of "building" card, and should be noted down on a sheet of paper.
If there is a tie – that is, if several players have the same number of "building" cards of one category – the points for the corresponding places are added together and then divided (rounding down).
Scoring round "A"
The 1st scoring round takes place as soon as the "scoring A" card is drawn.
Only the player who has the most cards of a category receives as many points as shown on the scoring card for 1st place.
Example: the player with the most white "building" cards receives 4 points.
Scoring round "B"
During the 2nd scoring round (which takes place when the "scoring B" card is drawn), the two players who have the most "building" cards of a category earn points.
The number of points the players receive is shown on the "scoring B" card.
Example: the player who has the most purple "building" cards receives 13 points. The runner-up for most cards receives 6 points.
Example: Tobi and Nina each have 4 purple "building" cards. They share the points for 1st and 2nd place: 13 + 6 = 19 points. Each of them therefore receives the rounded sum of 9 points.
Scoring round "C"
The 3rd scoring round takes place at the end of the game, as soon as there are no longer enough "building" cards to lay out 4 of them (see the "End of the Game" section).
During this scoring round, the 3rd-place player with the most cards also earns points, according to the points on the summary card.
Example: Paul and Nina each have 3 green "building" cards; Tobi and Katia each have 2. Paul and Nina each receive 20 + 12 = 32 : 2 = 16 points. Tobi and Katia each receive 5 : 2 = 2 points (rounded).
End of the Game
The game ends – after one of the players' turns – as soon as the 4 "building" cards can no longer be completed because they have all been used up.
Note: "building" cards are always replaced, as far as possible, in order.
The remaining "building" cards are given out, in order, to the players who hold the most money of the matching currency in hand at the time of the scoring round (the price of the buildings no longer matters). In the event of a tie, the "building" card is not given out.
The third and last scoring round then begins.
Whoever has earned the most victory points after the last scoring round wins the game. In the event of a tie, the players share the victory.
Special Rules for a Two-Player Game
The rules for 3 to 6 players apply, with the following changes:
There are exactly 3 copies of each money card; one of each is removed, so the game is played with only 72 money cards.
There is an imaginary 3rd player – let's call him Martin. He collects "building" cards and does not take a turn when it is his turn.
At the start of the game, the first 6 "building" cards are turned face up, sorted, and set aside for Martin, so that the other players can see them.
During scoring rounds, Martin also receives points if he has the most cards. Immediately after scoring round "A", Martin receives 6 new "building" cards, which are also drawn from the deck and placed with his other cards. After scoring round "B", Martin again receives "building" cards. This time, however, he receives a third of the remaining "building" cards (rounding down).
For the other two players, only one rule changes: each time they buy a "building" card, they may also give it to Martin instead.
© Copyright 2010 Queen Games, D-53842 Troisdorf, Germany