Doppel X
Doppel X Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Set-up
Put the bottom of the box in the middle of the table. Select one of the boards and place it on the box insert in the game's box, making sure that any holes in the board align with open spaces in the insert. Choose four of the double-sided betting boards and attach them (using the corner plugs) to the corners of the box.
To the game!
You should get to know each other and the game in your first play...
Use Board I and Betting Boards A, B, C and D for your first play. Make sure to align the openings in the board to the open areas in the plastic insert of the box. After your first play, feel free to mix things up by using different boards and betting boards to suit your group's tastes.
If you play with Boards III or IV, also use the Spinner, by inserting it the middle of the game board.
Sort the Point Chips and put them so that they can serve as an available pool for all players.
Each player picks a color and takes the matching die. The white die can not be selected, as it is a neutral die that will be used by all players on their turns.
Everything's in place, now what?
All players should stand surrounding the game table. We didn't want to sit still when we were in school – why do it when we're playing a fun game? To start the game, all players count down – "3, 2, X" – and throw their dice into the box at the same time. Be careful to roll your die without extending your hand over the edge of the box.
If a player's die falls into a hole in the box or lands outside of the box, the player takes their die back. They will be able to use their die to place "bets" on other player's turns until their next turn.
All players whose dice successfully remained on the board will leave their dice where they have landed and score based on the die's face and the area of the board where the die is sitting.
For example, a die showing the "2" face which is sitting on a red "2x" area will earn 4 points for their player. (2 (on the die) x2 (for the board area) = 4)
Scoring will be explained in greater detail later in these rules.
Get comfortable – Stretch your shoulders and arms, roll your head, limber up your hands, and polish your dice – because this is where the game really starts!
The youngest player starts. After them, the other players follow clockwise order. The active player takes the die of their chosen color and the neutral white die – no matter where those dice are – and rolls both of them at the same time on to the board.
Playing the Game
Rolling the dice.
How can I roll the dice?
You may take a running start ... But, well, for us that has not worked so well! It is important that you use a curved motion of 50 degrees, with a speed of 78 km /h leaning slightly forward above the hip – or you could just toss the dice the way that you prefer. Throwing is allowed!
There is only one rule that everyone must obey: Do not let your hand pass over the edge of the box. If it helps you visualize this rule, imagine that laser beams shoot up from the edge of the box. If you don't want to lose your hand, you'll keep your hand from passing over the edge of the box!
If your hand should pass over the box's edge, you can comment on how lucky you are that the box really doesn't have lasers... You'll simply have to face the wrath of the other players, but you do not have to reroll the dice. If the players all agree, a suitable penalty can be set for those who violate this rule (we suggest cleaning the toilet, buying the other players a drink or simply having to return a 1 point chip to the supply).
Before the roll you are allowed to look for a good place to roll from. You're permitted to walk around the table or to (carefully) turn the box. To help everyone remember the turn order, once you have rolled your dice – and, hopefully, cheered because of how well you did – return to your normal place.
What should I try to do with the dice?
Don't hit the other players! Try to get the dice in the box, possibly striking the dice of other players. This is not as easy as it sounds ...
Above all, you should try to get the two dice to end up in places that will get you as many points as possible. You don't want to your dice to go into holes, because you will not get any points for them there.
You will score both your die and the neutral die based on the face value of that die, modified by the effect of field where the die comes to rest. You are permitted to hit the dice of the other players, possibly knocking them into holes or other less desirable locations. It may annoy them, but it also means that they won't be scoring on your turn (or that they may be scoring fewer points). Unfortunately, if you do this, your die will probably be a target on their turns!
Any die that falls into a hole is immediately picked up by the owning player. They will use their die on the betting boards until their next turn. Once all dice that have fallen off of the board are collected, all remaining dice are scored – then the next player is up!
The next player will take their die from the board (or if they have been using the betting boards, they take their die from the one they last used), take the neutral die from wherever it wound up in the previous player's turn, make cocky pronouncements about the expected success of their upcoming roll, and then finally rolls both dice simultaneously into the game box. Depending on the success of their roll, the other players are free to mock them or show their dismay while the player celebrates their prowess.
Scoring
How many point chips do I receive for a roll?
After each dice roll, all players will score their dice!
A die is worth 1, 2 or 3 points. The important thing is where a die sits on the board. Most of Board I is blue. Dice that land there score the face value of the dice. The red areas on the board double the face value of a die that lands there, while yellow areas triple them.
So, for example, a die with a 2 on a yellow area "3x" field or at least touching the area, would score 6 points (2 x 3) and the appropriate number of chips would be collected from the supply.
Players can exchange their chips for different denominations that represent the same total value at any time.
If one of the dice you roll lands in the "-1 chip" area, you will lose one point (regardless of the die's face value), returning a chip to the supply. If a cube is touching more than one area on the board, choose the one that scores best for you. When dice are land in a hole or outside of the box, you get no points, but may get commiseration (or mocking) from the other players.
Important: All players will score if they have dice on the board. Even inattentive players should receive (or lose, when appropriate) chips to reflect the points gained/lost. Only the active player gets points (or loses them) for the neutral die.
How do we determine if a die is in an area of the board?
To see if a die is in an area or touching its boundary, the easiest way is look at the die from above. When the corner of a die sticks out over the line or at least touches it, the die can be considered to be in this area of the board. A die that touches the white boundary line between areas always counts as being in the higher value area.
Examples: (from the German rules)
When viewed from above, it can be seen that the blue 3-value die touches the white line of the "3x" area, even though it is not actually touching the yellow area. The player who is playing blue will score 9 (3x3) points for this scoring.
The blue player is the active player and has rolled both the blue die and the neutral white die. For this roll they get (3 x 3 =) 9 point chips for the blue die and (2 x 1 =) 2 point chips for the white die, for a total of 11 point chips.
The green player's die is in both the "no score" area and the "-1 chip" area. The "better" area is the "no score" area, so they do receive any points, but they also don't have to lose anything.
What does the "X" on the dice mean?
An "X" means "no score!" When a die shows an "X", a player does not receive any points for that die. Should a die with "X" on the face land on the "-1" area, the player still must return a point to the supply. Important! Things are different when a "Double X" happens!
The "Double X" means that everything else does not score!
If at least 2 dice – no matter what color they are – have the "X" face showing, all players shout "Double X!"
This is the case as long as the dice are actually on the board. Dice that land in holes, outside of the box or on the betting boards do not count towards a "Double X".
All players whose dice show an "X" – for the active player, this includes the neutral white cube – compliment each other and each receive 10 points. The area that the dice are on has no meaning and does not modify the score. You're getting 10 points – that should be enough! Having more than one die with an "X" showing (if the active player rolls an "X" on both their die and the neutral die) does not get a player more points.
Important! When a"Double X" has been rolled, only the "Double X" will be scored. All other players who have dice on the board do not score any points. They also do not lose any points for being on a "-1 chip" area of the board. The only betting players who will receive a payment are those who chose "Double X". Once the scoring is completed, all dice with an "X" are taken off the board and are returned to their owners. All other dice remain on the board, possibly gaining points for their players on subsequent rolls.
Bets
How are the platforms on the corners of the box used?
All non-active players whose dice are not on the board (their dice fell into a hole, landed outside of the box or were removed because of a "Double X") may place a bet on how they think the next active player's roll will go before that roll, but after the scoring of the previous roll.
To do this, they lay down their die on one of the betting board located on the corners of the box. Which face of the die is showing is not important. The result of the bet will be determined by where the active player's die or the neutral die lands. If you're betting, be sure to encourage the active player to roll what you need to score! If the result that was chosen as a bet actually occurs, the players who had the foresight to choose that bet will receive their reward from the chip supply. Those players should be sure to praise the active player for the successful roll and themselves for their brilliant betting choice. Before the next player's roll, the players who do not have dice on the board can bet once again – either by leaving their dice where they are or by moving them to another betting board.
Betting board fields
The following betting boards fields are available:
- A: A "Double X" (at least two dice (of any color, including the white die) show "X") => 5 points
- B: A die of the active player falls into a hole or next to the box. => 2 points
- C: A die of the active player touches a red "2x" area => 3 points
- D: A die of the active player touches a yellow "3x" area => 4 points
- E: A die of the active player touches a "no score" area => 2 points
- F: A die of the active player touches a blue "1x" area => 1 point
- G: Any die on the board is flung by the spinner into a hole, the "no score" area or the "-1 chip" area. => 5 points
- H: A "Double X" (at least two dice (of any color, including the white die) show "X") => 5 points
Note: fields A and H are both printed in the source with the same wording and the same reward. They are transcribed as printed.
If both active player's dice complete a request for betting boards B through F (for example, because the active player has his colored die and the neutral white die both into holes), the wager reward is paid twice.
If a die is on the line and thus touches two spaces, the bet will only be paid for the more valuable area (the same as it would be scored for the active player). A player may not deliberately choose to score their die for a lower value. So if the die is both on a "2x" area and a "3x" area, the active player will always receive triple the face value of the die and the players who bet on "3x" will also score. All players who wagered on the "2x" would not receive any score for this turn.
If there is a "Double X", only the players who bet on "Double X" will score their bets. All other bets are not paid, even if another die would have normally fulfilled their bet. You already know the reasoning: Get a "Double X" – all others get nothing...
Example: (from the German rules)
Blue is the active player. The yellow and green players were confident that blue would at least roll one die in the red "2x" area. They were correct. The roll resulted in a die that was touching the red area, so the yellow and green players each collect 3 points. The blue player scores 4 points (2 x 2) for the blue die and 2 points (2x1) for the neutral white die, for a total of 6 points. The red player, whose die on the board shows "X" gets nothing for the turn. The purple player gets 6 (3 x 2) points.
Game End
For 3, 4 or 5 player games, the game ends immediately when a player has collected at least 50 points. For 6, 7 or 8 player games, the game ends immediately when a player has collected at least 70 points.
This player is the winners and receives the congratulations (and threats of revenge) of his fellow players. If there should happen to be a tie, play a second game.
Variations
Double X has a lot of variability. You can change each game so that things play a little bit differently. Look at each side of the betting fields before deciding which ones to use. You can also randomly choose the betting boards. You can use Boards III and IV with or without the spinner. If you want, you can also add other obstacles. Make your own board for the game. You should only be limited by your creativity.
We wish you great fun and good luck with your dice!