Bordeaux
Bordeaux Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup
Each player gets a sheet and pencil.
Determine the leader for each year in snake order: randomly pick a player to circle year '01. In clockwise order, each player circles the next year, then go counterclockwise. Alternate directions until all years have a leader.
Example: In a 4-player game, Player 1's sheet shows the leader rotation across years '01 through '13 alternating clockwise, counterclockwise, clockwise, and so on. Year '00 has already been filled out for you.
Gameplay
Play begins in the column for year '01. You'll have 0-3 Workers (red, pink, and yellow) available each year. A Worker is available if their row is empty this year. Each year, you may use 1 Worker to Make Wine and 1 Worker to Gain Resources. If a 3rd Worker is available, it must Pass.
Example: In '01, you only have 1 Worker available, so you either Make Wine OR Gain Resources.
The top of your sheet specifies the region and resource that are available each year. One is pre-filled, and the other is chosen by the leader at the start of each year. In year '13, everyone chooses their own region and resource.
All players take actions simultaneously. Choose an action and its duration by writing the action letter 1-3 times in a Worker's row. Longer actions let you gain more resources and make older wines, but tie up the Worker longer.
Example: You are the leader in '01. So, at the start of '01 you declare Casks as the available resource. ALL PLAYERS write a C under '01. Your '01 action choices are: Make wine in Right Bank, or Gain Casks. You decide to gain 3 Casks with the yellow Worker, so you write 3 C's. That Worker will be available again in '04.
After taking an action, cross it out. When you have no more available Workers in the current year, cross off the year and put your pencil down. Once everyone is done, begin the next year.
Example: After taking the Cask action, cross it out. You have no more available workers, so you cross out '01. When everyone's finished, it's time for '02!
Make Wine
Choose 1 wine in the current year's region (Left Bank "L" / Right Bank "R" / Entre-deux-Mers "E"). Use a Worker of matching color (red makes red wine, pink makes rosé, yellow makes white). Write the region letter 1-3 times as shown on the chosen wine.
Circle the wine. If it connects to other circled wines, fill the paths. If the path has a resource, gain it.
Example: In '02, the leader chooses Right Bank, so you write an R. You decide to make a 2-year red wine in Right Bank, so you write 2 R's in the red Worker's row. Then you circle the 2-year (RR) red wine in Right Bank. This wine connects to another circled wine, so you fill the path. Since the path has a Trellis (T) resource, you gain it.
Gain Resources
Choose 1 available Worker (red, pink, or yellow) to gain 1-3 of the current year's resource by writing the resource letter 1-3 times respectively.
Example: In '03 you decide to gain 2 Trellises with the yellow Worker. So, you write 2 T's.
Casks "C"
When gaining Casks, trace the dotted Casks. Some wines require the use of 1 or 2 Casks. To make these wines, you must cross out 1 or 2 outlined Casks respectively.
Example: This wine requires 1 Cask. To make this wine, cross out 1 Cask.
Vines "V"
When gaining Vines, trace the dotted Vines from left to right. If you fill a Vine above a grape, immediately circle a matching wine in any region (no Worker needed), using Casks if necessary. This is the only way to make multiple wines in a year.
Example: You filled a Vine over a 2-year (RR/LL/EE) rosé wine. Immediately circle a 2-year rosé wine anywhere.
Trellises "T"
When gaining Trellises, trace the dotted Trellises in any order. Complete a row of Trellises to unlock its game-end scoring bonus.
Example: You completed a Trellis row. You gain a scoring bonus: at game-end, score 1 point per 2-year (RR/LL/EE) wine you made.
Pass "—"
If you have an available Worker that can't take an action (i.e. if all 3 Workers are available), fill its space with a "—" to Pass.
Example: You took both actions this year. So, your 3rd Worker has to pass (—).
Game End
The game ends after year '13. Your actions' durations may extend into the spaces beyond year '13. Total your points:
- 1 point per filled path.
- 3 points if you have the longest continuous tour path (if tied, score the full 3 points).
- 1 point per used Cask.
- 3 points if you used the most Casks (if tied, score the full 3 points).
- Score your completed Trellis rows.
- 1 point if you had fewer leader years.
The player with the most points wins!
Example: In years '12 and '13 your actions can extend into the extra columns. So, make the best wines and gain as many Resources as possible. See the inside back cover for scoring examples.
Example Scoring
A worked example of final scoring from a completed game sheet, showing the Left Bank, Right Bank, and Entre-deux-Mers wine tour with filled paths, Casks, Vines, and Trellises.
- You filled 9 path segments, so you score 9 points.
- Your longest continuous tour path is 7 segments long. This is the longest wine tour of all players, so you score 3 points.
- You used 4 Casks, so you score 4 points.
- You did not use the most Casks of all players, so you score 0 points.
- You have 5 white wines, so you score 5 points.
- You have 5 2-year wines, so you score 5 points.
- You did not complete the third Trellis row.
- You do not have fewer leader years than other players, so you do not get 1 compensation point.
Total: 9 + 3 + 4 + 0 + 5 + 5 + 0 + 0 = 26 points.
Solo Rules
Follow the base rules with these changes:
Determine your leader years as if you were playing a 2-player game.
On your non-leader years, determine the available region or resource using 1 of the following methods:
- Look away and randomly touch your pencil to the region or resource grid shown on the inside back cover.
- Or, flip to a random page and identify the region or resource in year '00.
If your longest continuous tour path is 7 or more path segments long, score 3 points for the longest wine tour.
If you used 7 or more Casks, score 3 points for the most Casks.
Determine your level of victory:
- 35+ points: Maître
- 30+ points: Vigneron
- 25+ points: Artisan
- 20+ points: Apprenti
Credits
Game Design: Ben Rosset. Illustration: Pavel Zhovba. Development: Jeff Chin & Andrew Nerger. Graphic Design: Jeff Chin & Pavel Zhovba. Layout Randomizer Algorithm: Yannick Tchobello.
Playtesters: Aaron Houssain, Aaron Stoddard, Abby Chin, Adrian Lai, Allison Kalb, Ben Goldman, Caitlin Wolle, Caleb Ruah, Carter Herron, Chad Palmer, Chris Baldwin, Chris James, Christopher Pike, Christopher Tremblay, Christy Kwok, Colin Zock, Corey Thompson, Dan Germain, Dan Jellis, Danny Giang, David Adams, Dominic Crapuchettes, David Short, Drew Reiser, Dwight Powell, Elizabeth Hargrave, Erik Herron, Fazz@FGF, Harrison Miller, Gregory Heitz, Joe Alberico, John Parrott, Justin Habinak, Kate Chandley, Ken Gruhl, Kevin Hadley, Kyle Murto, Lawrence Lair, Magdalena Michowska, Maggie Evenson, Maggy Ryan, Marco Lasorsa, Mary H., Matt Michalka, Matthew O'Malley, The McEvoys, Megan Hills, Michael Coe, Mike Vande Ven Jr., Mitchell Tsokatos, Morgan Lair, Nathan Harrison, Parker Lyman, Paul L., Pieter Guetens, Rob Renema, Roman Shamolin, Ryan Lucich, SharonDrawsBoardgames, Tarun Khanna, Vania Lerivrey, Victor G., Vito Longo, Walou123, Yadira Serna.