Cowabunga
Cowabunga Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
Contents:
- 58 Number Cards: 8x0, 6x1, 6x2, 6x3, 6x4, 6x5, 6x6, 6x7, 4x8, 4x9 (back side: plain pattern)
- 21 Island Cards, with values 10-30 (back side: plain pattern)
- 17 Stew Pot Cards, all identical
Preparation
Shuffle the 58 number cards, and deal each player 3 cards. The remaining number cards are placed face down in easy reach of all the players. The top card of the deck is placed face-up next to the deck and starts the discard pile.
The island cards are shuffles and each player is dealt two island cards (with 4 or 5 players, each receives only one island card), which he shows to the other players, so that each player is shown the values on all players cards. Each player puts their island card(s) in their hand. The remaining island cards are stacked and placed near the deck of number cards. The stew pot cards are placed nearby.
Rules
The oldest player begins, with play proceeding around the table in a clockwise direction. On a players turn they must perform the following three actions, in order:
- Plays any number card from his hand and place it on the discard pile
- Announce the new value (adds and/or subtracts).
- Draw a new card from the number deck.
Note: If a player forgets to draw a card from the number deck, they should draw one any time before their next turn.
Example: Emily begins. The discard stack is started with a card, in this case, a 4. Emily plays a 7, adding it to the discard pile and announces (added) the total value: "eleven". She then draws a card from the number deck. Maria puts 9 on the discard pile, says "twenty" (11+9=20) and draws a card from the number deck. Hendrik puts 2 on the discard pile, says "twenty-two" and draws a card from the number deck, etc.
Once the total exceeds the value 30 and/or falls below the value 10 as described under "Game Summary" already, first play upwards, until the value 30 is exceeded, then downward, until the value 10 is fallen below, then again upward, until the 30 is exceeded, etc.
If a player plays a card which causes the total to exceed 30 (and/or fall below 10), the play is briefly interrupted. The right neighbor of this player takes an island card from the deck, shows it to the other players and puts it in their hand. Play resumes at this point.
Example: The current turn is counting downward. Emily announced the value "sixteen". Maria puts down a 5 and says "eleven". Hendrik puts down an 8 and says "three". Since Hendrik fell below 10, his right neighbor (Maria) receives an island card from the pile. Maria takes an island card (24) and shows it to the other players before putting it in her hand. Now the play is continued by Emily, going upward. Emily puts down a 6 and says "nine", etc.
Take a Stew Pot Card
A player must, if they announce a value held by another player on an island card, take a stew pot card. The player holding the island card of that value should immediately show the card to all players and return it to his hand. Play continues normally at this point.
Note: It is permitted for a player to announce a value, for which he has an island card. Naturally the player says nothing and play continues normally.
Example: Maria puts a 3 on the discard pile and announces the value "eighteen". Since Emily holds the island card with the value 18 in her hand, she shows that card. Maria gets a stew pot card and puts it on the table in front of her. Now Hendrik continues the play, by discarding a 2, and announces "twenty". He has the 20 island card in his hand and is thus safe. The play continues normally.
Game End
As soon as a player takes their fourth stew pot, the game ends immediately. The other players count their stew pot cards. The player with the few stew pot cards wins. If two or more players are tied for least stew pot cards, they all win.
Exception: If the last island card should be drawn, before any player takes a fourth stew pot card, the game ends immediately. Whoever has the fewest stew pot cards at this point, wins.