Allie Gator
Allie Gator Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- 70 number cards (numbered 1-70)
- 18 special cards (with 4 different special actions)
- 5 scoring tiles (each with 3 matching colored teeth)
- 1 Allie Gator chip
- 1 arrow tile
- 2 special card reference tiles
Goal of the Game
In turn, each of you plays a suitable card and draws a new one. But alas, someone does not have a suitable card in their hand. Then they must take cards that are already on display and keep them as negative points. Whoever has the fewest negative points at the end of a round gets points.
Preparation
- Open the box and place it on the table where everyone can see it. The inside of the lid is your game board.
- Note: If the game board is not completely flat at first, you can carefully bend the individual folding parts a little. The placeholders on the game board will aid you in the game.
- Before the first game, carefully punch out the tiles. Each player takes a scoring tile, carefully removes the three large teeth, and puts everything together in front of them. You only need the point counters (teeth) at the end of each round.
- Place the arrow tile on the table with the dragonfly facing up.
- Note: The arrow tile indicates the current order of play. You always play clockwise at the beginning.
- Place the two special card reference tiles on the table if required. They provide an overview of the special cards in the game.
- Place the Allie Gator chip, printed side up, on one of the two circular placeholders on the game board.
- Shuffle the cards and place them face-down in a draw pile.
- Reveal two cards and place them face up on the two target spaces on the game board. These are your two target cards. The target cards must always show numbers; if you have drawn a special card, shuffle it back into the draw pile and reveal a new card. Repeat these steps if necessary.
- Each of you then draws five cards face down from the draw pile and takes them into their hand. Always hold your hand cards in such a way that none of your opponents can see the fronts.
- Now you are ready to go.
Playing the Game
The game is played over several rounds. A round ends when the draw pile is depleted. After each round there is an intermediate scoring (see "End of Round").
The youngest player starts the first round. After that, you initially play in clockwise order.
Note: the order of play will change over the course of the game (see special card "Change Direction"). When necessary flip the arrow tile to indicate whether you are currently playing clockwise or counterclockwise.
One your turn you choose one of the following options:
- play a number card OR
- play a special card and use its action OR
- take all cards below the Allie Gator chip and place them face-up in front of you as negative points (see "Take Cards as Negative Points").
At the end of your turn, check the number of cards in your hand and if necessary fill it up to five from the draw pile. Then it is the next player's turn.
Your Turn in Detail
Play a Number Card
Do you want to play a number card? Then place it below one of the two goal cards, i.e. on one of the two discard spaces, as shown in the example below.
You must observe the following two rules:
- You may only play a number card if its value is lower than that of the corresponding target card.
- Is there already a number card on the discard space? Then you place your number card directly on top of it. So you cover the number card on display with yours. The value of your number card must be higher than that of the number card already on display (but of course at the same time lower than the value of the corresponding target card). As the round progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to play number cards.
Example: playing a number card. You may play only the 27 on the left discard space. On the right you may play a number card between 50 and 64. You have the 51 in your hand and place it on the right discard space. Then you draw a card from the draw pile.
Play a Special Card
If you cannot or do not want to play a number card, you may play a special card instead. You do not place a special card on one of the discard spaces in the middle of the table, but always face up in front of you. At the end of the round it counts as a negative point. However, it allows you a special action that you can use to make your fellow players sweat. There are four types of special cards:
- Change Direction (6x in the game): If you play this card the order of play is immediately reversed. The game continues with the player whose turn was directly before yours. Flip the arrow tile as a reminder.
- Note: After a Change Direction card the next player may play another Change Direction card and so on.
- Steal Card (5x in the game): The cheeky bird helps you and steals a card. Draw a card face down from any other player and put it in your hand. The player who was stolen from immediately draws a card from the draw pile as a replacement.
- Increase Target (4x in the game): If you play this special card you must also place a number card from your hand on one of the two target cards. You must increase the value of this target card. That is, the value of the new card must be higher than the value of the target card you place it on. The number card played is now considered the new target card; the old one remains underneath.
- Note: If you do not have a suitable number card in your hand you cannot play the this special card.
- Allie's Gift (3x in the game): If you play this special card you may immediately steal the top number card from a discard space and "gift" it to any other player. Your opponent places the "gift" face-up in front of them as a negative point.
As a reminder: when playing a special card, always place it face-up in front of you as a negative point. Then take advantage of the special effect as described above. If you play a special card you do not place a number card on a discard space this turn.
Example: Increase Target. You play the "Increase Target" special card and place it face-up in front of you on your negative point stack. Then you immediately play a number card from your hand, namely the 70. You could place it on either the left or the right target card and thus increase their value. You choose the left target card. Then you check your hand cards. You draw two cards from the draw pile so that you have five cards in your hand again.
Take Cards as Negative Points
Can't or don't want to play a number card or a special card? Then "Happs!" - and Allie Gator snaps. Take all cards that are below the Allie Gator chip, i.e. a target card (or several in a stack) and all number cards on the discard space directly below it. Place all these cards as negative points on a face-up pile in front of you.
Then move the Allie Gator chip and place it above the other target card. (Allie is mollified for now and turns her attention to that pile). Then you place any number card from your hand as a new target card on the now-empty space.
Special case: If you don't have any number cards in your hand, you place the top number card from the draw pile as a new target card.
Fill Your Hand
At the end of your turn, don't forget to check your hand. If necessary, fill it up to five cards from the draw pile. Then it is the turn of the next player.
End of Round
Did one of you draw the last card from the draw pile? Then you continue to play without drawing any cards until someone cannot or does not want to play any cards. That player takes cards as negative points as described above. Then the round is over immediately. Set aside the remaining cards in your hand, they no longer play a role.
Each of you now counts the number of cards that are face up in front of you on your negative point pile. Each card counts as one negative point - regardless of whether it is a number or a special card. Then you need the score tiles:
- Whoever has the fewest negative points wins the round. They place two teeth with the white side up in their score tile.
- If you have the second-fewest negative points, you can still place one white tooth in your score tile.
- All other players get nothing in this round.
In the event of a tie, the player with fewer special cards in their negative point deck wins. If there is still a tie, all players involved in the tie share their place, i.e. they all get one or two teeth.
Then shuffle all the cards and start a new round. Whoever won the last round begins the new one. The play starts clockwise again, flipping the arrow tile if necessary.
When Does the Game End?
You play until at least one of you is "fed up." Sounds weird? Not at all, because in this game that's exactly what you want to achieve.
Your score tiles have space for exactly three teeth. If any of you use the third tooth at the end of a round, you're literally "fed up" and the game ends. They have kept Allie busy and stopped her from biting wood too much. As a reward, Allie Gator proudly shows them her smile.
Note: It may happen that one of you is allowed to use two teeth at the end of the round, but only has space for one tooth left in the score tile. Then they just flip the third tooth over and puts it in with the gold side up. A golden tooth counts double.
Who Won?
Each of you now sees how many teeth you have in your score tile. Note that each golden tooth counts double. Whoever has the most or most valuable teeth wins and can put on their widest alligator smile.
In the event of a tie, the player who had fewer special cards face-up in the last round wins. If there is still a tie, you share the victory.
Longer Playtime
Do you want to extend the playing time? No problem, agree before the game how many "tooth-points" you want to play to. With the help of the golden teeth you can play up to a maximum of six "tooth-points."
Notes for Two Players
The two-player game is played as described above, with the following changes:
- Leave the arrow tile in the box, you don't need it.
- If one of you plays the special card "Change Direction" the order of play does not reverse. The only effect of this special card is that you can play it instead of a number card. This can save you at a crucial moment.
- At the end of the round, the player with the fewest negative points gets two teeth as usual; the other player gets nothing.