Champions 2020 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Opening Ceremony
• Pregame Show
• The Kick-Off
• Turn
  • Roll the D6
  • A. Move
  • B. Kick the ball
  • C. Pass the ball between players
  • D. Move to the passed ball
  • E. End of turn
• Goal Attempt
  • Shot on goal
  • Catch
  • Rebound
• Interception
• Dead Ball
  • Kick-off after a goal
  • Throw-in
  • Goal kick
  • Corner
• The Goalie in His Penalty Area
• Offside
• Anti-Killjoy Rules
• Timing
• Substitutions
  • First warming up ...
  • ... then substitute
• Shoulder Charge
• Foul
• Yellow/Red Cards
• Injury
• Free Kick
• Penalty Kick
• Tournament Rules

Opening Ceremony

The 'soccer rules of 2020' are implemented in this rulebook. But first some guidelines for soccer managers:

• If both managers need to do an action at the same time, then the 'away' manager carries out his action first, before the 'home team' manager does.
• Black text is required knowledge before starting a match.
• Red text means: Don't forget!
• Blue text you can read as soon as you reach that situation in the match, such as a THROW-IN if the ball crosses the touchline.
• Green text you can skip for the first (friendly) match. It's recommended that you add these rules once you are familiar with the basic rules.

Pregame Show

Both managers choose a team. Your footballers are called 'players', you are the 'manager'. Determine which manager plays a 'home match'. In the example field the match begins between Germany and Argentina. Both managers have a squad of 20 players (2 goalies and 18 outfielders). The managers simultaneously choose their starting 11s with 1 goalie and 2, 3 or 4 defenders (numbered 2/3/4/5/6/7), midfielders (number 8/9/10/11/12/13) and forwards (14/15/16/17/18/19). Then you place these players on the pitch.

The field has columns 1 to 10 and rows 1 to 3 from each endline. Components shown on the field: the watch (place it on 0), Yellow Cards, Scoreboard (pile up the number tiles, 0-0 above), Bandages, Time Track, penalty area spaces (D6, D4 and D3 are also shown), goalie area spaces. On the spaces with the endline the ball is out of bounds (or a goal).

• Place your goalie in 1 of the 2 spaces on the goal line.
• Place your defenders in the row at the top of the penalty area. Each line of 4 players must get placed in column 1, 4, 7 and 10.
• Midfielders start on the half-way line. If both managers select the same number of midfielders, the home-team manager chooses an adjacent column for players who would stand in a space with an opponent. In case of 2 or 4 midfielders you shift the player who is the closest to a free space at the centre spot, to that space next to the ball.
• Forwards get placed 4 spaces from the endline on the opponent's half. If you choose 2 players, you must place them in columns 3 and 8. With 3 forwards, the 2 'wings' start in column 2 and 9. Place the third player in column 5 or 6.
• Place the ball on the centre spot.
• Place your remaining 9 players in the dugout.

The Kick-Off

Only at the kick-off both managers roll the D6. If you roll '1', then roll again until you roll '2' or higher. If both managers roll the same, then both roll again.

The manager with the highest roll places the ball on his player in the centre circle. Now he must kick the ball, a number of spaces equal to the difference between the 2 die rolls. Further rules are the same as in each TURN, see B. (curved pass), C., D. and E.

Figure 1: Kick-off. The Argentinian manager rolled '5', Germany a '3'. So the Argentinian player in the centre circle kicks the ball 5-3 = 2 spaces away from his space.

Turn

Roll the D6

At the start of each TURN you roll the D6.

A. Move

Move 1 of your 11 players. Move your player by the precise number of pips on the D6, or less if you reach the ball with fewer steps.

Players can't move diagonally and not into or through a space with a player. After each step you may change direction. You may move through the spaces outside the lines.

Figure 3: You rolled a '3', so you move 3 steps. You don't kick the ball, but you lengthen the path to the ball for your opponent.

B. Kick the ball

You kick the ball if your player steps into the space with the ball. Your player stops in that space. You can kick the ball in any direction, even the direction your player came from. You move the ball by the unused number of pips on the D6 + 1.

TIP: Only count the empty spaces your player and the ball move through/to. (see figure 5a)

The ball continues in the chosen direction, but can change direction once ('curve') from diagonal to straight or from straight to diagonal, so that the ball undergoes a small direction change (45 degrees).

The path of the ball may never lead through a space with an opponent's player.

Figure 5: You reach the ball in 2 steps and kick the ball. You rolled '4'. 4 - 2 steps + 1 = 3. So you kick the ball 3 spaces.

C. Pass the ball between players

The ball may reach a space with a teammate. Then you can play the ball further in any direction (including 1 new 'curve') by the unused number of pips on the D6 + 1.

TIP: So again only count the empty spaces the ball moves through/to. (see figure 6a)

A maximum of 6 players may touch the ball, including the player who kicks the ball first.

Figure 6: You reach the ball in 2 steps. You pass the ball through 2 players. See that each used player makes that the ball goes 1 space further.

D. Move to the passed ball

If you played the ball this turn, you may move a player 2 spaces closer to the ball (but not into the space with the ball), if this player didn't touch the ball this TURN. After these steps he must be closer to the ball than any of his teammates! (For the distance to the ball you count the number of steps a player would need to reach the ball.)

If the player stands next to the ball after 1 step, then he only moves 1 step.

Figure 7: After the complete pass (see figure 6) a teammate goes to the ball. He didn't touch the ball yet and gets closer to the ball than all his teammates.

E. End of turn

After moving and eventually kicking and eventually moving to a pass, your TURN is over. (You must use all pips of the D6.)

For your outfielders who are in row 1, at either goal, and for whom the ball is at the other side of the half-way line: Move them 1 step to row 2. If that space isn't free you first shift sideways.

You move your offside players backward, see OFFSIDE.

Then the other manager has a TURN and so on.

Goal Attempt

Shot on goal

You shoot on goal if the ball reaches 1 of the 2 spaces with the goal. That ends your TURN, there can be remaining die pips for the ball.

The chance of the goalie saving it depends on the speed of the shot and on the distance between goalie and the ball.

The defending manager uses the D4 to try to stop the ball. The goalie has the best chance of making a save if the ball only just reaches the goal and passes through a space just next to the goalie. In that case the chance of a save is 3/4 (75%): a '2', '3' or '4' with the D4. But each remaining space the ball could move behind the goal line makes the save chance 1/4 (25%) smaller (see figure 9).

Figure 9: Shot on goal. The faster the shot (more remaining D6 pips), the smaller the chance of saving it. In the example picture the goalie chance is 3/4, 2/4 or 1/4 depending on the direction (all 6 possible directions of shots on goal are shown); otherwise GOAL! The player moves 1 step and shoots on goal. GOAL!

The defending manager chooses in which space the goalie tries to stop the ball. If this 'save-spot' is adjacent (not diagonally) to the space with the goalie, then the chance to save can be a maximum of 3 out of 4 (so 3/4). Each step the goalie stands further from the 'save-spot' makes the chance for the goalie 1/4 smaller (see figure 10).

Figure 10a: Routine save. The shot just reaches the goal. The goalie needs only 1 step to get to the path of the ball (to the space with number 1 or 2), so has 3/4 chance on a save.

Figure 10b: Diving save. The same shot, but here the goalie needs 2 steps to reach the path of the ball, so only 2/4 chance on a save.

Figure 10c: Fingertip save. 3 steps to the path of the ball, so just 1/4 chance on a save. If the goalie stands even further away, it is a direct goal.

Figure 11: Faster shot and diving save. The same shot, but faster (a '4' with the D6, instead of the '3'). The goalie loses 1/4 chance because the shot is 1 pip faster and 1/4 because he needs 2 steps to reach the path of the ball. So 1/4 chance left to save.

The goalie first moves to the 'save-spot'. Then roll the D4 for him. If the save fails, it is a goal! Then go to KICK-OFF AFTER A GOAL. If the save succeeds, then the goalie has a CATCH or he gives a REBOUND. See table:

D4 roll	1	2	3	4
Goalie chance 3/4	GOAL!	Rebound	Catch	Catch
Goalie chance 2/4	GOAL!	GOAL!	Rebound	Catch
Goalie chance 1/4	GOAL!	GOAL!	GOAL!	Rebound

If the goalie succeeds in a 'save-spot' outside the penalty area, it is 'hand ball'. Then the goalie gets a red card and the opponent gets a free kick in that space. See YELLOW/RED CARDS and FREE KICK.

Catch

With a catch save, the goalie takes the ball in his hands. Then you roll the D6 to let your goalie bring the ball into play again. If you roll a '1', then you roll again until you roll at least a '2'. Further the TURN rules apply, like passing the ball through/to more players.

Figure 12: Catch. On the shot from figure 10b, your goalie moves 2 steps to the path of the ball and you roll '4' with the D4: catch. Now you roll the D6 to bring the ball into play again. You roll only '2' and move the ball 2 spaces far. Your defender moves 2 steps to the 'passed' ball.

Rebound

In case of a rebound the ball goes from the save-spot diagonally into the field, by the remaining pips on the D6 + 1. If the shot did go to the goal at the right side of the goalie, then the ball now goes diagonally to the right sideline, and vice versa. The manager who did the goal attempt now has a TURN again!

If the rebound ball goes into a space with a player, then that player plays the ball by the remaining pips on the D6 + 1 (see section C. under TURN). If the rebound ball moves through a space adjacent to a player of any team, then he can try to INTERCEPT (see next section) the ball.

Figure 13: Rebound. At the same shot, from figure 10b, you roll for the goalie '3' with the D4: rebound. The shot would pass the goalie at the right side in the picture, so the rebound goes rightwards. The ball movement had 1 remaining step, +1 makes 2 steps for the diagonal path of the ball. Now it's Germany's TURN again.

Interception

Each time your pass/shot moves through (so not the last space) a space adjacent (not diagonally!) to an outfielder of the other team, he can try to change the ball direction.

If the ball passes more opponents, the attempts to intercept proceed naturally in 'chronological order'.

First you complete your TURN, then the other manager chooses in which (empty) spaces he tries to 'intercept' the ball. Each player can only try to intercept the ball on the first eligible space the ball crosses!!

Move the player, who tries to intercept, to the interception space. His manager rolls the D3.

• If he rolls a '1' or '2': Then the ball direction doesn't change.
• If he rolls a '3': Then the ball moves in the same direction as the player, by the remaining pips of the D6 + 1.

After the ball changed direction, players of both teams can try to intercept! But if the intercepted ball passes through a space where both teams can intercept (so between 2 players), then nobody may intercept there.

If the intercepted ball reaches a space with a player, then this player (so his manager) plays the ball, just like at 'Pass the ball through more players', by the remaining pips of the D6 + 1.

As soon as the intercepted ball reaches its end space, the manager who didn't have the last succeeded interception gets a TURN!

• If the ball passes the touchline, go to THROW-IN.
• If the ball passes the endline, go to CORNER or GOAL KICK.
• If the ball passes the goal line, go to SHOT ON GOAL.

Figure 14a: Interception chance. From player number 9, there are 2 remaining 'steps' for the ball. That player plays the ball diagonally and his teammate goes 1 step to his pass. The ball passes 1 opponent. He can try to change the ball direction ...

Figure 14b: Interception succeeds. ... That player tries that. He shifts 1 space to where he can intercept. His manager rolls '3' with the D3: Interception! The ball had 1 movement step left, so moves 1+1 = 2 spaces further in the direction of the interception. The other Argentinian player now too can change the direction of the ball (to the North), but he doesn't try. Now the German manager gets a TURN again.

Figure 14c: Intercepting fails. Suppose a '1' or '2' was rolled with the D3. Then there is no interception. The player did go to the 'interception space', he doesn't move back. Now the Argentinian manager gets his normal TURN and his player 14 stands closer to the ball.

Dead Ball

There is a 'dead moment' after a goal or if the ball is over the touchline/endline or if a FOUL is made.

With each dead ball (KICK-OFF AFTER A GOAL, THROW-IN, GOAL KICK, CORNER, FREE KICK, PENALTY KICK) both managers do first:

• Place your goalie in 1 of his 2 goal spaces.
• Shift players out of offside (see OFFSIDE). To see who is offside, you place the ball where the ball will re-start.

With each re-start counts:

• If the re-starting manager rolls a '1', then he rolls again until he rolls at least a '2'!
• The re-starting player may touch the ball again after another player touched the ball.

Kick-off after a goal

• Place the ball on the defeated goalie.
• The defeated manager rolls the D6.
• The goalie kicks the ball into the field by the number of pips on the D6 + 1 (!).
• Further the rules are like in a normal TURN.

Figure 15: Kick-off after a goal. After an Argentinian goal the German manager rolls only '2', so he plays the ball 2 + 1 extra = 3 spaces far from his goalie. After player 5 passes the ball 1 space further, player 16 moves to the passed ball.

Throw-in

If the ball crosses the touchline, then the squad who didn't touch the ball last gets a throw-in.

• Therefore you place 1 outfielder outside the lines, where the ball crossed the touchline.
• Roll the D4 for this player. Here still counts: Do you roll '1', then roll again (see under DEAD BALL).
• Now the player throws the ball into the field, a number of spaces equal to the number on the D4. Further the rules are the same as in a normal TURN.
• You shift your player by the shortest path back into the field, as soon as the ball reached its end space or a teammate.

Figure 16: You placed a player outside the field to throw in. You roll a '3' and throw the ball 3 spaces. Your player moves into the field and you move a teammate 2 steps to the 'passed' ball.

Goal kick

If the ball goes on or over a space with the endline, beside the goal of the team that didn't touch the ball last, then the goalie takes a goal kick. That proceeds the same as a KICK-OFF AFTER A GOAL.

Corner

If the ball goes on or over a space with the endline, beside the goal of the team that touched the ball last, then the other team gets a corner kick at that endline.

• Shift all outfielders simultaneously 1 space over the long axis of the field towards the endline. Except for the players who already stand in row 1 and 2, and players who get blocked by players in row 2. (Of course this is about the field end 'where the re-start happens'.)
• Place the ball in the corner space at the side of the goal where the ball passed the endline. (Only in case of a corner kick the ball in the endline space isn't out of bounds.)
• The manager whose team takes the corner kick places 1 outfielder next to the space with the ball, and the other manager places 1 outfielder on the endline 2 spaces away from the ball (the 'wall').
• Roll the D6. Your player at the ball must kick the ball. Now the rules are the same as in a normal TURN.
• After your TURN you shift the player who took the corner 1 space towards the half-way line (if the space is blocked, he first shifts to the goal). After a TURN by the other manager, the 'wall' player on the endline does the same.

Figure 17: Corner. The ball in the corner space, the player next to it, and an opponent is the 'wall'.

The Goalie in His Penalty Area

The goalie can take the ball in his hands in his penalty area by reaching the space of the ball using exactly the pips on the D6, with the shortest path to the ball. (So you have only 1/6 chance on that!) The ball may not have been touched last by the goalie's teammates, except in case of an INTERCEPTION. Next you roll the D6 again, to kick/throw the ball. Now use the same rules as after a CATCH.

Offside

A player is offside if he stands in a space closer to the endline of the opponent than the space with the ball is, and there are less than 2 opponents at least equally close to that endline. This means that, if the ball gets played forwards, he may not touch the ball (nor move to the passed ball) before the ball is touched by another player.

When you must return players from offside, you shift them over the long axis of the field until they are not offside anymore. If the player is blocked by another player, he moves a sideward step first; If he would move to the ball space, he stops moving.

Anti-Killjoy Rules

• You may not kick the ball out of bounds (except with INTERCEPTION/REBOUND).
• Only the goalie can stand in 1 of his 2 goal spaces!
• Of both teams an outfielder may only move to a goalie area space if the ball lays in row 1.
• In the penalty area on your own half you may not have more than 4 outfielders, of which not more than 1 in the goalie area. By interception attempts and free kicks (the 'wall') or if an outfielder kicks the ball away from the goalie area, more players can be in the goalie/penalty area.
• A chain of players of 1 team (orthogonally and/or diagonally connected) may not consist of more than 9 players.
• From both teams always at least 1 player must be able to reach the ball (eventually by more than 6 steps) without having to use the spaces outside the field (or on the endline).

Timing

Each time a '1' is rolled with 1 of the 3 dice (except at a DEAD BALL and the KICK-OFF where the '1' doesn't count), you shift the watch 1 space further. From 0 to 6, later from 6 to 12 and so on. The match ends as soon as the watch passes the 90 minutes spot. Use in case of extra time the 'Extra Time' track.

Variant rule for a more fixed play time: Tally each die roll in the whole match (by the D6, D4 and D3) (except if an uncounted '1' is rolled) up to 90 die rolls (minutes), plus 1 more per foul committed (injury [the printed text ends here, cut off]

Figure 18: pffffttt. The 16th '1' on a die sounds the final whistle.

Substitutions

First warming up ...

You may substitute a maximum of 3 players, in total. If you want to bring in 1 or more substitutes, they must warm up first. To do this you shift your player from the dugout towards the touchline (see figure 19) before you roll the D6 for your TURN. The player(s) must continue warming up until there is a DEAD BALL.

... then substitute

At each DEAD BALL you must bring on the players who are warming up. Exception: Only after a goal you can place warming-up players back into the dugout.

You substitute before anything else happens! Before you place your new player(s), you first take an equal number of your players out of the field. (There must always be 1 goalie in the field.)

The row where you place the substitute depends on what kind of player he is:

• A defender you place in the same row as your furthest back outfielder. If that is row 1, you place in row 2.
• A midfielder you place in the row half-way between your most forward and backward outfielders, calculated over the long axis of the field. (Sometimes that means you can choose either of 2 rows.)
• A forward you place in the same row as your most forward outfielder. If that is row 1 (at opponent's side), you place in row 2.
• The goalie you place in 1 of your 2 goal spaces.

Figure 19: Warming up.

Shoulder Charge

If you roll a '1' with the D6, and your player stands next to an opponent's player who is the closest to the ball, then you can move to the space with this opponent. Then you push that opponent 1 step in the direction you move. With a '1' you can't make a FOUL, it's a soft push.

If the ball is in the space you want to push your opponent to, then a shoulder charge is not possible.

If another player stands in the space you push your opponent to, then he shifts 1 space further too and so on.

Figure 20: Shoulder charge.

Foul

Your player commits a foul if he can reach an opponent exactly by the shortest path with the number of pips on the D6 (not with a '1'), and that opponent is (one of) the closest player(s) to the ball, and none of your players can get closer to the ball than this opponent.

((As manager you can't control everything, your player makes the foul 'automatically'.))

The fouler gets a yellow card, see YELLOW/RED CARDS. The tackled player gets injured, see INJURY, and he gets a FREE KICK.

Figure 21a: Foul. You rolled '2' in your TURN. With 2 steps no German player can get closer to the ball than the 2 Argentinian players at the ball. A German player can reach one of these Argentinian players precisely by the number of pips on the D6. So the 16 commits a foul on the 8 (mandatory). This is the only game situation where 2 players 'share' 1 space.

Yellow/Red Cards

For each foul the offender gets a yellow card (no mercy!). Place this card on the player. A second yellow card for the same player means 'red'! Then he must leave the field without being substituted.

In case of a red card for your goalie, you must immediately substitute an outfielder for your second goalie, or you place an outfielder in the goal if you already substituted 3 players. In that last case this new 'goalie' (give him a new 'shirt') has with each shot on goal 1/4 less chance.

Injury

A tackled player has a light injury. Place a bandage on this player. This player has no problem with this injury during the match, but a second injury means he can't continue. Then you can immediately substitute this player (as long as you didn't substitute 3 players yet), even if the substitute didn't warm up. After 3 substitutions you must replace a double-injured goalie by an active outfielder.

Free Kick

• Place the ball in the space where the foul is committed.
• Place the injured player at the ball, 1 space towards their own endline (if this place is occupied, 1 space to a side of the field). If you substitute this player, you place the new player in his space! If the player has to leave the field injured, and you already substituted 3 times, then you place another outfielder in his space.
• Shift the player who committed the foul 2 spaces toward their own endline. Each time he is blocked by another player, you move him a space to either side, until he's outside the 'ring' of 1 space distance to the ball (see the crosses in figure 21b). If you substitute this player, you place your new player in his space! If the player had to leave with a red card, then you put an active outfielder in his space.
• Teammates of the offender, inside the 'ring' around the ball, move by the shortest path out of the 'ring'.
• Roll the D6. One of your players must kick the ball, eventually a player who spends several die pips on moving to the ball.

Exception 1: Is the foul committed outside the penalty area in row 1 or 2, then you don't shift the offender 2 steps to the endline, but towards the farthest touchline. Is the free kick in row 3, in column 1, 2, 9 or 10, then shift the offender 2 spaces diagonally towards his own goal.

Exception 2: If the foul is committed by the goalie, then you place an outfielder in the space 2 steps from the ball.

Exception 3: After 'hand ball' by the goalie, both managers choose an outfielder, to place at the ball and as a 'wall'.

Figure 21b: Free kick. The ball on the place of the foul, the injured player 1 step to his own endline and the player with the yellow card 2 steps to the other side.

Penalty Kick

If a player commits a foul in his own penalty area, then the other team gets a penalty kick.

• Outfielders in the penalty area shift towards the half-way line (sideward steps if blocked) until all are out of that penalty area.
• The manager who gets the penalty kick places a player in 1 of the 2 penalty spot spaces. Place the ball on the penalty spot.
• Roll the D6. Your player kicks the ball a number of spaces equal to your die roll. Remember: a '2' is the minimum with each re-start. See further SHOT ON GOAL.

Figure 22: Penalty kick.

Tournament Rules

Suspensions:

• Red card: This player is suspended for the 2 following matches.
• Yellow card: If this player gets another yellow card within the following 3 matches, he is 1 match suspended. The same counts in the 3 matches after a suspension. After 3 matches without a card the player has a 'clean sheet' again. So a red card within these 3 matches time gives a suspension of 2 (red) + 1 (second card) = 3 matches.

Injuries: Similar to the cards, but the injury sensitivity stays only 2 matches (instead of 3 with 'cards sensitivity').

Tournament points in 2020:

• Winning in 90 minutes = 5-0 points
• Winning after extra time (golden goal) = 4-1 points
• Winning after penalty kicks = 3-2 points