Boxes (Benoît Rémy)
Boxes (Benoît Rémy) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 60 box cards (36 open box cards + 24 closed box cards).
- The open box cards consist of 20 cards worth 10 ECU, and 16 set cards divided into four categories (yellow, blue, red and green), with four different card values (50, 100, 150 or 200 ECU).
- The closed box cards consist of 14 cards without any value, 2 cards worth 500 ECU (gold bars) and 8 cards worth 250 ECU (two of each colour).
- 1 wooden token for the auctioneer.
- 64 banknotes (16 of each of the following values: 50, 100, 200 and 500 ECU).
- 4 screens with the rules of the game displayed on them.
Card Summary
36 open box cards
| Card | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ECU card | 10 ECU | 20 |
| Set card, each colour (yellow, blue, red, green) | 50 ECU | 1 per colour (4 total) |
| Set card, each colour | 100 ECU | 1 per colour (4 total) |
| Set card, each colour | 150 ECU | 1 per colour (4 total) |
| Set card, each colour | 200 ECU | 1 per colour (4 total) |
24 closed box cards
| Card | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Card without any value | 0 ECU | 14 |
| Set card, each colour (yellow, blue, red, green) | 250 ECU | 2 per colour (8 total) |
| Gold bars | 500 ECU | 2 |
Aim of the Game
To have the most money in your wallet at the end of the game.
How?
By making as much profit as possible by purchasing containers and combining box cards in the same category to increase their value.
Setting Up
- Give each player 3,400 ECU (4 banknotes of each value).
- Each player places his screen in front of his banknotes.
- Make two separate stacks, one of open box cards and one of closed box cards, and shuffle each stack thoroughly.
- Place 10 box cards face down on the table: 4 closed boxes and 6 open boxes. These cards together form a container.
- The player who has most recently been to a bric-a-brac sale takes the auctioneer's token. This gives him the right to choose the type of auction (open or secret) and then to be the first person to look at the cards. The token rotates clockwise from player to player with each new turn.
How the Game Works
6 containers of 10 box cards will be sold one by one. The player who bids the highest gets the entire container.
The game is over when all 6 containers have been sold.
Each player in turn gets 7 actions that he has to use in one go.
2 actions allow him to discreetly inspect a closed box card, and 1 action allows him to discreetly inspect an open box card.
When a player has seen a box card, it is turned 90 degrees so that the exact number of actions can be counted.
Example:
Here, the player has carried out his 7 actions: he has inspected 2 closed box cards (2 x 2 actions) and 3 open box cards.
(The example graphic shows the action costs: closed box cards cost 2 actions each, open box cards cost 1 action each.)
The cards are then put back as they were at the start of the round, so that each player can use his 7 actions.
When each player has used his 7 actions, the auction takes place.
Open Auction
The auctioneer announces the starting bid out loud. The players bid in turn, going clockwise. A player who passes cannot resume bidding afterwards. The player with the highest bid (sometimes only after several rounds) gets the entire container. He gets the cards, puts them behind his screen and pays the amount of his bid to the bank. The bank does not swap banknotes of different denominations and does not give change. Tip: base your bids on the banknotes that you have.
Secret Auction
Each player secretly collects the banknotes for the sum he wants to bid for a container. The banknotes are placed face down on the table. All players then reveal their bid at the same time.
The player with the highest bid wins.
If two or more players have bid the same amount, they bid again in an open auction, with the result of the closed auction as the starting bid.
The winner takes the cards and pays the amount of his bid to the bank.
Cards that have been won can be turned over by the player to help him decide on his strategy.
End of the Game
When the 6 containers (60 box cards) have been sold, each player counts up his wealth (remaining banknotes + value of the box cards).
For each set, a player receives a bonus of 250 ECU.
Game Variants
2 Players Game
A set consists of 4 cards of the same colour with at least one card of 250 ECU.
Example: you have the red cards 100, 150, 200 and 250 = 700 ECU + 250 ECU = 950 ECU.
3 to 4 Player Game
As above, but with combinations of 3 cards, again including at least one card of 250 ECU.