Elements (1997) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Object of the Game
• Setup
• Sequence of Play
  • Phase 1: Establish the Colour Sequence (Element Strength)
  • Phase 2: Win Cards
  • Phase 3: Rebuild Your Hand
• End of Game
• Combinations

Components

• 55 numbered cards, numbered 0 to 10, in 5 colours.
• 5 coloured cards in 5 colours (the element cards).

Object of the Game

Win point cards by playing combinations.

Setup

Place the 5 element cards in a row on the table, one after another, and place the game box to the left of this row. Shuffle the 55 numbered cards and deal 11 to each player. The remaining cards form the face-down draw pile.

Each group needs a sheet of paper and a pencil to record points.

The tallest player starts, and play proceeds clockwise.

Sequence of Play

Phase 1: Establish the Colour Sequence (Element Strength)

The sequence of the element cards shows the value those colours will have later in the game. The colour furthest to the left is the strongest, and the one furthest to the right is the weakest.

Starting with the first player, each player in turn places one of their cards face down opposite a free element card of their choice. The colour of the card played does not have to match the colour of the element card.

Each element card can have only one numbered card associated with it. With 5 players there are 5 pairs of cards (diagram 1). The element cards alone (with 3 or 4 players) are set aside.

The played cards are now revealed (diagram 2). The pairs of cards are ranked in descending order starting from the game box. The pair with the highest value is placed next to the box, and so on (diagram 3). If there are pairs with the same value, the pair that was closer to the box is placed closer to the box.

The 5 numbered cards become point cards, and their arrangement determines the order of the colours.

Phase 2: Win Cards

To score points, the point cards must be won:

• Cards of value 0 are put into the draw pile; they are no longer used.
• The other point cards are won individually, one after another. Start with the point card of lowest value, then the one to its left, and so on.

To win a point card, the players (starting with the first player) take turns placing a card face up in front of themselves, one at a time. On their first turn a player places one card; on the next turn, a second card; and on the third turn, 2 cards at once. A player who cannot do this must pass.

Players may pass at any moment instead of placing a card, but they cannot return to contest that point card. A player who passes only plays again when the next point card is in play.

If all players have passed or have placed 4 cards, the player with the best combination wins the point card and places it in front of them. If all players have passed without placing a card, the point card is put into the draw pile.

The numbered cards that were played are placed into the draw pile. The winner of the point card starts the next one.

Phase 3: Rebuild Your Hand

Once all the point cards have been played, points are recorded for each player. The cards are returned to the draw pile; the colour cards stay on the table.

Players who still have cards in hand decide which cards to keep. The others go into the draw pile. The draw pile is shuffled, and players must again have 11 cards in hand.

The first player is the player to the left of the previous first player, and they begin Phase 1.

End of Game

Once every player has been first player and the last point card has been won, the game is over. The player with the most points wins.

Combinations

See the example combinations card.

The general principle is that the more identical cards there are, the stronger the combination. Squares of numbers are stronger than squares of colour. The colour furthest to the left is the strongest, and the one furthest to the right is the weakest.

1. 4 identical number cards (square of numbers).
2. 4 cards of the same colour (square of colour).
3. If the squares of colour are of the same colour, the higher value within the square decides.
4. 3 identical number cards (triple of numbers).
5. 3 cards of the same colour (triple of colour).
6. If the triples of colour are of the same colour, the higher value within the triple decides.
7. 2 identical number cards (pair of numbers).
8. If the numbers are the same, the pair with the stronger colour wins.
9. 2 cards of the same colour (pair of colour).
10. If the pairs of colour are of the same colour, the higher value within the pair decides.
11. 1 single card.
12. If the colour is the same, the stronger colour wins.