Giza Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
• Contents
• Setup
  • Selecting a Start Player
• Player's Turn Actions
• Playing a Tile
  • Stone Tile
  • Treasure Tiles
  • Demolish Tiles
  • Scarab Tiles
  • Sphinx Tiles
• Discarding Tile(s)
• Drawing New Tile(s)
• Game End & Scoring
  • Criteria for Game End
  • Scoring
  • Tiles in Hand at Game End

Game Overview

Players play tiles to build pyramids, store treasure or sabotage other players. The game begins with a starting player and continues in clockwise order until either all the pyramids of any player have been completed, or there are no more tiles left in the draw pool. Points are then counted. A player who has built a Sphinx beyond its foundation stage (base tile) will get bonus points. The winner is the player with the most points at the end of the game.

'Giza' is suitable for 2 to 6 players from age 8 and above. Players under 8 years of age may require adult assistance. A game of 'Giza' can last from 10 minutes to 30 minutes or more, depending on the number of players.

Contents

• Game Rules - 1 booklet
• GIZA Map Boards - 6 pieces
  • Pyramid Construction Sites
  • Sphinx Construction Site
  • Tile Guide (indicates quantity of each tile type)
• Tiles - 83 pieces
  • Negative Stone Tiles - 3 pieces of each type
  • Positive Stone Tiles - 7 pieces of each type
  • Demolish Tiles - 9 pieces
  • Sphinx Tiles - 6 pieces (Sphinx Head, Sphinx Body, Sphinx Base)
  • Treasure Tiles - 3 pieces of each type
  • Scarab Tiles - 6 pieces

Setup

Each player takes 1 Map Board and places it on the table in front of him. The Map Board must be in full view of all other players.

Each Map Board contains square outlines for 3 pyramids and 1 Sphinx. These are the construction sites upon which tiles may be added to build the pyramids or the Sphinx.

Thoroughly mix all the tiles together and lay them face-down in the centre of the table to form a draw pool. Each player then draws 4 tiles for himself. Players are not allowed to reveal their tiles to other players.

Selecting a Start Player

The person who suggested playing this game will be the starting player. However, for subsequent games, the player who scored the lowest points in the previous game will be the new starting player.

Player's Turn Actions

During a player's turn, he will have to carry out the following actions:

1. Play 1 tile or discard any number of tiles AND
2. Draw new tile(s) to top-up his hand to the maximum of 4 tiles

Playing a Tile

Players may play a Stone, Treasure, Demolish, or Scarab Tile from their hand onto their own pyramid (located on their Map Board) or onto any other player's pyramid. Alternatively, players may play a Sphinx, Demolish, or Scarab Tile onto their own Sphinx (located on their Map Board) or onto any other player's Sphinx.

A newly placed tile must completely cover the tile beneath it. Players are not allowed to look beneath the topmost tile(s) of another player's pyramid or Sphinx - a player may only examine all the tile(s) on his own Map Board.

Stone Tile

A Stone Tile can only be played onto the following:

1. A Pyramid Construction Site on a Map Board
2. A Stone Tile of a larger number (ignore the + and - on the Stone Tile for this purpose)
3. A Treasure Tile of a larger number

The (+) and (-) on the Stone Tiles are used only for scoring at the end of the game.

Example: The Stone Tiles that may be played onto a +3 Treasure Tile are: +1, -1, +2 or -2.

Once played, a Stone Tile may not be moved from one pyramid to another. A Stone Tile can only be removed from the Map Board by a Demolish Tile.

Treasure Tiles

A Treasure Tile can only be played on top of a Stone Tile with the same number (ignore the + and - on the Stone Tile for this purpose). A Treasure Tile cannot be played onto any other type of tile including another Treasure Tile.

Example: Peter has a +3 Treasure Tile in his hand which can only be played onto a +3 or -3 Stone Tile.

Once played, a Treasure Tile may not be moved from one pyramid to another. A Treasure Tile can only be removed from the Map Board by a Demolish Tile.

Demolish Tiles

A Demolish Tile destroys any top-most (exposed) tile on any Map Board in the game. A player may play a Demolish Tile ...

1. on another player's pyramid or Sphinx

OR

2. on his own pyramid or Sphinx

... to remove only the targeted top-most tile. Both the played Demolish and targeted tiles are removed from the game and placed into the discard pool (use the empty game box to store the discarded tiles).

Example: (1) Jane plays a Demolish Tile onto a -5 Stone Tile on her Map Board. (2) As a result, both the affected Stone Tile and the played Demolish Tile are removed from her Map Board and placed into the discard pool.

Scarab Tiles

A Scarab Tile may be played onto any pyramid or Sphinx. The Scarab Tile prevents new Stone or Treasure Tiles from being added to the affected pyramid (or new Sphinx Tiles from being added to the affected Sphinx). A Scarab Tile may also be played directly onto any Pyramid or Sphinx Construction Site on any Map Board. A Scarab Tile may also be played directly onto another Scarab Tile.

During the affected player's turn, he may remove one Scarab Tile from his pyramid or Sphinx and place it into the discard pool. His turn is immediately over and he is not allowed to draw any new tiles.

A player with a Scarab Tile on his pyramid or Sphinx may choose not to remove it. He is thus allowed to take his normal turn.

If a player wishes, he may play a Demolish Tile on the Scarab Tile (thereby removing both the Demolish and Scarab Tiles to the discard pool). Following which, his turn ends and he draws a new tile to top up his hand to the maximum of 4 tiles.

Example: Possible locations for a Scarab Tile (shown in a diagram in the original).

Sphinx Tiles

A Sphinx Base Tile is played directly onto the Sphinx Construction Site on any Map Board in the game. The building order for the Sphinx (from bottom up) is...

1. Sphinx Base Tile
2. Sphinx Body Tile
3. Sphinx Head Tile

Note: The Sphinx Head Tile cannot be placed directly onto a Sphinx Base Tile.

Scarab and Demolish Tiles may be played onto the Sphinx. However, Stone and Treasure Tiles cannot be played onto the Sphinx.

Discarding Tile(s)

If a player decides not to play a tile (or is unable to play any tile) during his turn, then he will have to discard 1, 2, 3 or 4 tiles of his choice from his hand face-up into the discard pool.

Drawing New Tile(s)

At the end of a player's turn, he will draw new tile(s) from the draw pool to replenish his hand up to the maximum of 4 tiles. After a player has completed his actions, the game proceeds to the next player in a clockwise direction.

Game End & Scoring

Criteria for Game End

The game ends immediately when...

1. The last tile from the draw pool is taken

OR

2. All three pyramids on the Map Board of any one player have been completed (i.e. each of his 3 pyramids has a +1 or -1 Stone Tile on top). A player's pyramids may be completed by himself or by another player (during that other player's turn). Hence one player may strategically play a +1 or -1 Stone Tile onto another player's last uncompleted pyramid in order to force the game to an immediate end.

Scoring

Each player will then add whatever points he has from his 3 pyramids and Sphinx. Points from uncompleted pyramids and Sphinxes (including those with Scarab Tiles on top) are to be included. Negative Stone and Sphinx Base Tiles will deduct the indicated points from a player's score.

Example: Calculating a player's final score (shown in a diagram in the original).

Tiles in Hand at Game End

At game end, tiles in a player's hand are not included in the calculation of his score.