Cosmo
Cosmo Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 36 cards (6 of each letter from A to F)
- 20 Space Dollars (blue)
- 5 Starting Dollars (yellow, orange, red, purple and green)
- 5 help cards
Object of the Game
Build your best poker hand by strategically recruiting the perfect crew for your mission to Mars. Simply draw cards from any of the 6 piles. The twist: some of each player's cards will be visible and others hidden. Once everyone has collected 5 cards, the best crew gets its ticket to Mars.
Setup
- Separate the cards into 6 piles according to their letter (A to F), shuffle each pile, and place them face down in the center of the table.
- Each player takes 1 Starting Dollar of the color they prefer and places it in front of them. Return each leftover Starting Dollar to the box. All Space Dollars are placed in a pile next to the cards.
- Each player takes 1 help card and places it in front of them. Return each leftover help card to the box.
Gameplay
The last person who saw a spaceship starts the game, then turns proceed clockwise. On each turn, players add 1 card to their play area. At the end of a round, each player will have 5 cards in front of them.
On your turn you must do the following:
- Choose any pile (A to F) and draw the top card.
- When you draw your 1st and 5th card, look at it in secret and place it face down in your play area.
- When you draw your 2nd, 3rd and 4th card, reveal it and place it face up in your play area.
- After you have drawn 1 card, your turn ends, and it is the turn of the person to your left.
Hint: The back of each card shows which cards, and how many of each, can be drawn from the respective pile (by 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th draw). So pay attention to the cards your opponents have already drawn from each pile.
The Bet
Before drawing your 5th and last card, the betting round takes place. Each player takes their Starting Dollar and tries to guess who will have the most powerful hand this round, including themselves. Starting with the player who started the game, and following turn order, place your Starting Dollar in front of the person you are betting on. Then, each player secretly draws their 5th card from any pile as explained above.
End of the Round
The round ends when each player has 5 cards in their play area.
Evaluating and Scoring
Time to shine: reveal your cards that were face down. Then, each player evaluates their combination with the 5 cards in front of them. If you have more than one combination, only consider the most powerful one. The results are explained from the weakest combination (1) to the most powerful (5) [sic: the printed rulebook lists seven combinations, numbered 1 to 7].
- Chaotic Crew: One pair (XX). You have only 1 pair of equal cards and 3 different cards. The higher the pair, the better it ranks. In case of a tie, the player with the higher second pair ranks better.
- Double Trouble: Two pairs (XX YY). You have 2 pairs of equal cards plus 1 other card. The higher the pairs, the better they rank.
- Intrigue Troop: Three of a kind (XXX). You have 3 equal cards and 2 different cards. The higher the three of a kind, the better it ranks.
- Giant Claws: Full House (XXX YY). You have 3 equal cards and 1 pair. The higher the three of a kind, and then the pair, the better it ranks.
- Squad of Four: Four of a kind (XXXX). You have 4 equal cards and 1 other. The higher the four of a kind, the better it ranks.
- Royal Rocket: Straight. You have all the numbers, from 1 to 5, in any order. The higher the 5th card, the better it ranks. If still tied, look at the 4th card, 3rd card, etc.
- Cosmic Crew: Five of a kind (XXXXX). You have all 5 cards equal. The higher the five of a kind, the better it ranks.
Best Hand
The person with the best combination, regardless of the order in which the cards are, wins the round and automatically receives 1 Space Dollar from the pile.
Tiebreakers:
- If more than one person has the best hand and it is 100% identical (considering all 5 cards), all of them win and receive 1 Space Dollar.
- If more than one person has the best combination, compare how they rank as described under the combination.
- If the tie remains, compare the other cards outside the combination, in the order they come (1st card, 2nd, etc.). The higher those cards, the better they rank (in strange cases such as the Chaotic Crew).
Example: Katrin and Sezen are tied with an Intrigue Troop (3 equal cards). The first card outside the combination is a 5 for Sezen, which is higher than Katrin's card (2). Sezen wins the round and receives 1 Space Dollar.
Correct Bet?
Now it is time to evaluate the bets made.
- Correct: You bet on the person who actually had the best combination (including yourself). Take back your Starting Dollar and take 1 additional Space Dollar from the pile.
- Incorrect: If your bet failed, you must return one Space Dollar to the pile. If you have no Space Dollars left and only have your Starting Dollar, you can relax. You do not have to give anything.
Note: The person with the best combination may have won or lost a Space Dollar, depending on their bet.
New Round
Return each card to its respective pile, shuffle each of them, and the next person clockwise starts the new round.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately after someone has collected 5 or more Space Dollars (including the Starting Dollar). The person with the most dollars wins the game. In case of a tie, they share the victory.