Cubu

Cubu Rulebook

Table of Contents

Overview

2 to 6 players. A piece of paper and writing instrument are needed to keep score in each round.

There are two CUBU games in the box: CUBU and Speed CUBU.

In the game of CUBU, the challenge lies in identifying the number, color and position of boxes on the cards. The identification of the pattern and the ability to see which card in your hand would follow the pattern is the key hurdle. This is how sequences are created. If you're really good, you might be able to play more than one card. But watch out for the action cards that could completely disrupt your turn!

The first player out in the round wins and collects all the points from the other players' cards. Get to 100 points before the rest of the players and you've won the CUBU challenge!

Winning the Round and the Game

To Win the Round

The first player who plays all of the cards in their hand wins the round. Each card left in the hands of the losing players counts as 5 points and action cards count as 10 points. The losing players add up the point total and the winner gets all of these points.

To Win the Game

The first player to get to 100 points or more wins the game.

Tip: For a shorter game, decrease the point target to 50. For a longer game, increase the point target to 200. Instead of playing to a point total, play for a specified period of time (player with the most points wins).

Game Definitions

Number of boxes: this is always counted from the inside to the outside. (Cards show 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 boxes.)

Sequence: this is created by placing cards on top of the turned over card that follow one of the colored boxes by its position in an increasing or decreasing sequence. (Example: the turned over card shows a Dark Blue 2, Dark Blue 3 and Dark Blue 4 box in a row.)

Action Cards

Miss a Turn: give this card to any player when it is your turn and the player misses their next turn. This action constitutes your turn. Play continues to your left.

Interrupt a Turn: play this card at any point during the game - regardless of whether or not it is your turn - by saying "INTERRUPT". The player whose turn is interrupted doesn't get to put down any more cards. Play continues to the left of the interrupted player.

Tip: This card is best used to interrupt someone playing a long sequence.

Swap Cards: give this card to any player when it is your turn. Trade your entire hand with another player of your choosing. This constitutes your turn. Play continues to your left.

Pickup Cards (1, 2 or 3 card pickups): give this card to any player when it is your turn. This action constitutes your turn. The other player has to pick up the designated number of cards. Play continues to your left.

Starting the Game

The dealer shuffles the cards thoroughly, and deals 7 cards face down to each player, and lays one card face up in the center of the playing area. After dealing out the cards, the remaining deck is placed face down off to the side of the playing area and becomes the pickup deck. The dealer role rotates to the left after each round. Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer.

CUBU Game Play

When it is a player's turn, there are 3 main actions that can be done:

1. Play a Color Sequence

If the player decides to play a color sequence card, the player first must declare the position and color of the box that will be followed.

For example, the player declares that they will follow the orange box in position 3 (the turned over card shows Orange 3). The player then places the cards that follow this box directly on top of the card: Orange 4, Orange 5, Orange 6.

The player could have placed cards so the number sequence decreased instead: Orange 2, then Orange 1.

2. Play an Action Card

Action cards count as 10 points at the end of the game, so you don't want to be left with these in your hand.

3. Draw

If a player cannot do either 1 or 2, then the player must draw a card from the deck and add this to their hand. This action completes their turn.

Winning the Rounds and the Game (CUBU)

The first player who manages to play all of the cards in their hand wins the round. Each color sequence card left in the hands of the losing players counts as 5 points and action cards count as 10 points. The losing players add up the point total and the winner gets all of these points. The first player to get to 100 points or more wins the game.

Speed CUBU

Speed CUBU Overview

Play the game of Speed CUBU for a fast challenge. In Speed CUBU the action cards are removed and all of the players simultaneously race through their cards to slam them down side by side in sequence.

There are 2 ways to play. The dealer chooses to have everyone follow just the number of boxes (easier) or declares that the players will follow color and position of the boxes (hardest). The dealer chooses which type of Speed CUBU will be played during the round or the entire game.

Speed CUBU: To Win the Round

The object is to get rid of the 10 cards in your hand faster than your opponents. Players who are left with cards in their hands give 5 points for every card to the player who went out first in each round.

Speed CUBU: To Win the Game

The first player to 50 points wins.

Starting Speed CUBU

Remove the action cards from the deck. Shuffle the cards thoroughly before dealing 10 cards face down to each player. The remainder of the deck (pickup deck) is placed face down and to the side of the game play area. The dealer role rotates to the left after each Speed CUBU race.

Speed CUBU Game Play

Players may not look at their card pile until the dealer turns over the top card from the pickup deck and puts it in the center of the game play area.

When the dealer shouts "CUBU" the race begins. Players play at the same time. Players can hold their cards or organize them beside them as they see fit. There is no fixed rule for this and it may vary among players.

When a player is out of cards, they shout "CUBU" and all play stops.

Speed CUBU: Follow the Number of Boxes

Diagram: a set of cards, each labelled with its number of boxes (2 through 6), arranged around a center. The caption reads: "This card can relate to any of the 3 cards surrounding it."

Speed CUBU: Follow the Color Position

Sequences grow by color and location.
Sequences progress up or down and can switch colors.

Diagram: the card labelled "First card put into play by dealer" is Dark Blue 2. Other cards in the diagram are labelled Dark Blue 1, Dark Blue 3, Red 1, Red 2, Orange 3 and Orange 4. The unlabelled card "could be: Light Blue 2; Red 1 or 3; Green 2 or 4; Orange 3 or 5; or Purple 4 or 6".

End of Game

If a player places a card down incorrectly and this is recognized during the round, then the player receives a 10 point penalty.

If all players can't empty their hands of cards, then each player is dealt an additional 5 cards face down. Once the dealer shouts "CUBU" the play resumes.

If more than one person shouts "CUBU" when they are out of cards, then the players are considered to be co-winners of the round and they split the points.