Aztack Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Players, Age and Time
• Object
• Setting Up
• Game Play
  • Rules for Placing Stones
  • Bonus
  • Examples
• Winning
• Alternate Rules
  • "Speed Stack"

Components

60 Stones (of 5 colors) inscribed with the following Aztec glyphs:

• Xochitl (flower)
• Atl (water)
• Mazatl (deer)
• Tecpatl (flint)

Players, Age and Time

2 to 4 Players. Ages 7 to Adult. Time to Play: 15 Minutes.

Object

Be the player who gets rid of the most stones.

Setting Up

1. Lay all 60 stones face-down and mix them up.
2. Create the base of the pyramid: pick 12 stones and turn them face-up. Arrange them in 2 side by side rows of 6. Make sure each color appears on at least 2 different stones. If not, swap out a stone for one with the missing color(s).
3. Each player draws 12 stones and turns them face-up.
4. Decide which player goes first.

Game Play

Players take turns placing one of their stones on the base by matching glyph or color.

Rules for Placing Stones

• Place a new stone across 2 stones so that it bridges the 2 stones and completely covers the glyphs underneath it.
• Both sides of the new stone must match either the 2 colors (example 1) or the 2 glyphs underneath (example 2). Which way the glyphs are facing doesn't matter.
• IMPORTANT: You cannot have half of the new stone match only by color and the other half match only by glyph (example 3).
• A stone can be placed on any level but must lay flat and cannot tilt.
• If you cannot place a stone, you pass your turn but stay in the game. Then the next player places a stone.

Bonus

If you place a stone that matches the stones underneath by both color and glyph, you may discard one of your remaining, unplaced stones (example 4).

Examples

1. Colors match: The new stone matches the 2 stones underneath by color.
2. Glyphs match: The new stone matches the 2 stones underneath by glyph.
3. No match: The new stone matches the 2 stones underneath only by 1 color and 1 glyph. You cannot place this stone.
4. Colors and glyphs match: The new stone matches the 2 stones underneath by both color AND glyph. This is a BONUS.

The rulebook shows a picture of how the pyramid of stones might look towards the end of the game.

Winning

The first player to place his last stone wins the game. If all players are stuck with no moves remaining, the player with the fewest stones remaining wins. If there is a tie, the player who last placed a stone wins.

Alternate Rules

"Speed Stack"

Players do not take turns. As soon as you spot a match, shout what type of match you have (Colors OR Glyphs OR Colors & Glyphs) then place your stone on the stack. Play continues in this manner until one player runs out of stones or until all players have no moves remaining. When one player places their last stone, he wins the game. If all players are stuck with no moves remaining, the player who last placed a stone wins the game.