Bermuda
Bermuda Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 Kusalochka card
- 28 Treasure cards
- 63 Diver cards
Player's Task
Over 5 rounds, tear more treasures away from Kusalochka's clutching paws than she is able to hold.
Preparation
Each round, lay out on the table a number of Treasure cards equal to the number of players. For example, with 3 players lay out 3 cards; with 5 players, lay out 5. Make sure there is enough room on the table to lay a line of 10 cards under the Treasure cards.
Thoroughly shuffle the 63 Diver cards and deal 12 to each player (return any extra cards to the box). Place the Diver deck at the upper left of the table, the Treasure deck at the upper right, and the Kusalochka card on the table above the Treasure cards.
Treasures that you fail to tear from Kusalochka's clutching paws during the game are hidden under her card. At the end of the game you must total the keeper's protection points shown above the trident.
Game Objective
Kusalochka is a cooperative game. All players act simultaneously, and the game is played against the clock. "Why doesn't the box have a timer?" you may ask. The answer: you yourselves are the timer of this game!
How it works: before the round begins, each player receives their Diver cards. Do not sort them (except perhaps once, for the very youngest beginners). One of the players gives the command to dive. On the count of "three", everyone takes a deep breath, holds it, and immediately starts laying cards.
Cards may be laid for as long as everyone is still holding their breath. As soon as anyone breathes out, the round ends immediately, and whoever has just inhaled falls into Kusalochka's scaly embrace.
To obtain a treasure you must do two things:
1) Dive to the required depth to reach the treasure
The depth of a treasure is shown on the left side of its card, under the bubbles. This number shows how many Diver cards you must lay under the Treasure card to win it.
Example: you need to lay exactly 6 Diver cards to win this treasure, no more and no less.
2) Lay the Diver cards in the correct order
Players begin laying the Diver cards they were dealt, simultaneously, under any Treasure card on the table. They may lay cards under any treasure, following only one condition: the value of each Diver card laid must differ by exactly one, either up or down, from the card last laid in that column. That is, if a card with the value "3" is laid, you may play a card with the value "2" or "4".
Values "1" and "9" are considered borderline. If a "1" is laid, you may play either a "9" or a "2". If a "9" is laid, you may play either an "8" or a "1".
Do not dive too deep
A card laid in a column under a Treasure card cannot be returned to hand or moved to a neighbouring column. Watch carefully so that you do not accidentally lay more cards than the depth requires. Of course, you cannot talk while holding your breath underwater, but communicating with gestures cannot be forbidden.
Round End
As soon as one of the brave divers breathes, the round immediately ends. No more Diver cards may be laid. It is time to count the treasures obtained.
Dive Example
The illustration shows five columns, each under a Treasure card. Columns 3 and 5 are marked with a check, and columns 1, 2 and 4 are marked with a cross.
Example of a dive: in the first column you had to lay 10 Diver cards, but only 8 were laid. Too bad, but the treasure stays with the keeper. The Treasure card goes under Kusalochka's card. The Treasure card from column 2 goes there too, for two reasons: a) the Diver card "3" lies on the card "1"; b) the column has only 8 cards in total, but it must have 9. In column 4 the correct number of cards was laid, but "5" was laid on "7", so that treasure also goes to Kusalochka. Columns 3 and 5 were collected without errors, so those treasures go to the players. These cards must be turned face down and kept until the final count.
When the fate of the round's treasures has been determined, begin the next round: lay out the Treasure cards, shuffle very well, deal the players their Diver cards, and then count to three and begin a new dive.
End of Game and Final Count
Treasure cards versus the keeper's protection points
The game lasts 5 rounds. After the fifth dive, the players must check whether the hunt for treasures was successful. To do this, count the Treasure cards the players obtained over the whole game; each card brings the players 1 point. Take out the Treasure cards of the missed treasures from under Kusalochka's card. Now total the keeper's protection points (the numbers above the trident on her Treasure cards).
- If the players have equal to or more Treasure cards than the sum of the keeper's protection points, the players defeated Kusalochka.
- If the players found fewer Treasure cards, victory goes to Kusalochka. Prepare for a new dive into the depths in pursuit of treasure!
Health Care
Do not give in to Kusalochka's slippery charm! It is only a game, and it is not worth risking your health. Remember that it is better to end a round having lost one treasure than to experience oxygen starvation. The game will be noticeably easier if you agree to sort the cards you receive before the round into order.
Note for Experienced Divers
Of course, this game is too simple for you. We suggest that at the start of a round you lay the treasures face down and turn them over only after everyone has held their breath. And under no circumstances sort the cards; that is for beginners!
You can also check how many dives for treasure you can complete successfully on a single breath. In that case Kusalochka will swim over the reefs and keep watch from there (hide her card in the box).