Everest 1924
Everest 1924 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Equipment
To play this game you will need:
- One game sheet
- One pen or pencil
- Six six-sided dice
Scoring Straights
In this game a "straight" is a series of two or more dice in ascending, sequential order. The total value of the straight is the face value of the highest die in the straight multiplied by the number of dice in the straight.
For example:
- A straight of 3-4-5 would be worth 15 (5 x 3)
- A straight of 5-6 would be worth 12 (6 x 2)
You do not need to use all of your dice to make a straight. Duplicated and non-sequential dice can be ignored (assuming you don't want to combine or reroll them - see below).
For example:
- A roll of 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6 would yield a straight of 3-4-5-6
Climbing the Mountain
You start at base camp, in the bottom left square. Each turn you will roll all of the dice you have available to you - three to start with - and attempt to score a straight (see above) equal or greater than the target number of the row directly above you (indicated to the left of that row).
If you are successful you will move upwards and right by one square. Draw a circle in this square to mark your new position.
If you are not successful then move right by one square in your current row, drawing a circle there instead.
Draw a line between the circle you just drew and your previous location - this represents your route up the mountain. You should never cross this line or revisit a square you previously marked with a circle.
Combining Dice
If you don't have quite the right result you need, you can combine dice to create new values.
- If you have two dice of the same value you can discard one in order to increase/decrease the value of the remaining die by one.
- If you have two dice of any value, you can add or subtract the values, discarding one die and changing the other to the combined value.
You cannot modify a die's value to higher than 6 or lower than 1.
You may repeat these actions as many times as you like, but discarded dice cannot be reused.
For example:
- 5, 5 could be converted into 4 or 6
- 1, 3 could be converted into 2 or 4
Rerolling Dice
If you still don't have the combination of dice you need you may choose to carry out one reroll. Choose which dice you wish to reroll, which may include discarded dice, and reroll them all at once.
You may again combine your dice (regardless of whether they were rerolled or not), but if you still don't have a high enough straight value then not only do you not ascend, but you fall to the previous row - moving right and down by one square, draw a circle and a connecting line to your new location.
Note that if there is no empty square available to fall into or doing so would cause you to pass a line in your route (for example if you have recently made camp), then this will cause the game to end.
Choosing to reroll is an optional action and carries significant risk, so be careful of when you choose to do so.
Unlocking Extra Dice
You will start the game with three dice. When you first ascend into a row where the target number has a blue background (12, 16 and 22) you can add an additional die to your rolls. You retain this additional die for the remainder of the expedition, even if you fall below this unlocking row.
Making Camp
The first time you ascend into a new row you may choose to make camp. Instead of moving right by one square, you can move left by three squares (or to the beginning of the row if there are less than three squares available). Draw a circle in this new location, again drawing a line connecting it to your previous location. Cross off one of your tent symbols to record this action. You may only make camp up to four times during your expedition.
End of the Game
There are three ways the game may end:
- You successfully reach the top row of the mountain (row 36)
- You choose to abandon the expedition and proceed no further - you may only do this after marking a circle in a new square and before rolling any dice
- You are required to move into a new square but no empty square is available, in which case your party perishes
Now proceed to final scoring.
Final Scoring
When the game ends you can calculate your final score by taking the target number of the highest row you reached and doubling it. Now deduct one point for every square you marked with a circle (including the starting square). Finally, only if you managed to reach the summit (row 36), add five points for each unused camp.
How do you compare to these mountaineering legends?
- Below 20 points - Forgotten to history
- 21 - 40 points - Mallory and Bullock (First recorded attempt, 1921)
- 41 - 50 points - Finch and Bruce (First to pass 26,000 ft, 1922)
- 51 - 60 points - Mallory and Irvine (First to pass 28,000 ft, 1924)
- 61 - 70 points - Hillary and Norgay (First successful ascent, 1953)
- Above 70 points - Kilian Jornet (Fastest ascent in just 26 hours, 2017)