Deal, Gentlemen Collectionneurs
Deal, Gentlemen Collectionneurs Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 3 screens (paravents)
- 45 artefact cards
- 15 value cards
- 10 variant cards
- 15 double-sided artefact cards for the "travel" version
- Swiss bank accounts (not provided)
The five artefact types are: cursed statuette, secret key, sacred text, precious jewel, and mystic sceptre.
Goal of the Game
Score the most points by collecting artefacts.
Setup
Each player takes a screen and 5 value cards numbered 1 to 5 points, and places them behind their screen, assigning a value to each artefact type. These values are secret and final.
Example: Sylvie has chosen to assign 5 points to sacred texts and 4 to sceptres...
Travel Version
You can dispense with the screens (for example, to take Deal Gentlemen Collectionneurs on a trip). Each player places 5 different double-sided artefact cards in front of them and hides one value card under each artefact. They keep the artefacts they win during the game in their hand.
Playing a Round (Deal)
At the start of each round (or Deal), place 3 artefact cards in the centre of the table: 2 face up and 1 face down. Two players must find an agreement to split these 3 cards. Caution: all cards must be allocated; none may be discarded, and cards from previous rounds may not be exchanged. Negotiation is free and stops as soon as the players have accepted a proposal by saying "DEAL!".
Once the agreement is concluded, each player takes their share and places it behind their screen. The player who won the face-down card may look at it (secretly or not) and place it with their own cards.
The game ends when there are no more cards in the deck.
Two-Player Game
During a Deal, if no agreement is reached on how to split the 3 cards, the face-down card must be "offered to the museum" (it goes to the discard pile without being turned over), and 3 new cards are added to the table (2 face up and 1 face down).
Negotiation then resumes to split the 5 cards on the table, until an agreement is reached or someone decides to "offer everything to the museum" (the 5 cards are then placed in the discard pile).
If it is not possible to draw cards, the 3 cards in play are all "offered to the museum" and the game ends.
Three-Player Game
Deals take place in turn between two negotiators (for example: Etienne and Flo, then Flo and Julie, then Julie and Etienne). The third player is the dealer and presents the 3 cards to their opponents, without looking at the face-down card. When a negotiation is finished, the draw pile passes to the player on the left, who becomes the new dealer.
At any moment, the dealer may call out a 10-second countdown: 10, 9, 8, ... , 0 (between gentlemen, the count is done fair-play). If, before the end of the countdown, the 2 negotiators have not validated the split by each saying "Deal!", the dealer takes the card of their choice from the 3 and places it behind their screen. 3 new cards are added to the table (2 face up and 1 face down), making 5 cards in play. The dealer may start a new countdown at any time. If there is still disagreement at the end of the new countdown, the 5 cards are discarded (offered to the museum) and play moves on to the next round.
Victory and Defeat
Each player removes their screen to count points. Each set of three matching artefacts (triple) scores the number of points the player chose at the start of the game. Artefacts that are paired or alone score nothing.
The museum's points are then counted: 2 points per card in a 2-player game, and 1 point per card in a 3-player game.
To win the game, you must have more points than each of your opponents and than the museum. In case of a tie, the player with the fewest cards wins.
If you have not been gentlemen enough, you may all lose the game in favour of the museum. That will teach you.
Example: Raphaël has assigned the value 2 to keys and the value 5 to sceptres. At the end of the game, his 4 keys score him 2 points (one single triple; the 4th key does not count), and his 6 sceptres score him 2 x 5 points (2 triples). He therefore scores 12 points.
Variants (recommended from the first game)
To spice up your games, there are three modes (A, B, C) and seven objectives (1 to 7). It is best to begin with objective 1 or 2. Once you are more experienced, you may combine several objectives or play with secret objectives.
To discover the different cards, we recommend choosing from the following combinations. Afterwards, feel free to create your own combinations!
- Controlled origin: B & 6
- No place for chance: C & 3
- Transaction under pressure: A & 1
- A child's game: B & 2
- No mercy: 7 & 5
- Elite collectors: 2 & 4
Cards 2, 3 and 6 give importance to the origin of the artefacts shown on the front and back of the cards. You collect objects from the most mysterious peoples: ancient Egypt, the Empire of the Rising Sun, and the Maya Empire.
Expert Variant
Take the objective cards (1 to 7). Shuffle them, and take 2 or 3 face down, which you place in the centre of the table. During a Deal, you may negotiate with an opponent for the chance to see one of these cards. Caution: at each Deal, only one card may be seen by only one player. The cards are counted at the end of the game, so it is preferable to have consulted them...
Description of the Variants
Modes
A. Insert this hourglass card into the last third of the draw pile. When it is revealed, the game ends immediately.
B. For each Deal, there are 2 face-down cards instead of one. In case of disagreement, the card offered to the museum is chosen at random.
C. For each Deal, there is no face-down card. In case of disagreement, the card offered to the museum is chosen at random.
Objectives
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After the triples are counted, each remaining double gives a penalty of -1 point. Single cards score nothing.
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Artefacts of Maya origin score 1 additional point (for the museum too).
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Triples of the same origin score double the points (e.g. 3 Maya keys worth 4 points each score 2 x 4 = 8 points).
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Each series of 5 artefacts of different types scores 2 points (1 series = 1 key + 1 sacred text + 1 statuette + 1 sceptre + 1 jewel).
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The artefact to which you assigned 1 point is your unlucky charm. Each of its triples scores you -3 points instead of +1 point.
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At the end of the game, if you own 10 artefacts of the same origin, you gain 5 points; 3 points for 8 artefacts, 1 point for 6.
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At the end of the game, before removing the screens, simultaneously choose 3 artefacts to give, face down, to the player on your left. If you are also playing with objective 5, you may not give your unlucky charms. However, you may take delight in giving your own to your opponent (while remaining gentlemen, of course).