Kontor Rulebook

Table of Contents

Components
Setup
Sequence of Play
Paying Taxes
Placing a Card
Placing Warehouses
Scoring Goods Advantage
Drawing a Card
Receiving Money
End of Game
Advanced Rules
4-Player Rules
Scenarios for 2 and 4 Players

Components

Dock cards and Water cards are used to build the new harbor. All of these cards have a number in the top left corner. The color of that number (red or black) shows which player owns the card. Water cards are neutral. Some cards have a coin symbol in the top right corner. Others have a ship symbol, which is only used in the advanced rules.

44 Dock cards: 22 red and 22 black. Most show the goods tea, wine, and spices in varying combinations. Each player also has 2 cards with cranes and one with a tavern.
44 Water cards: they differ only in their numbers and symbols. Most of these cards have higher values than the Dock cards. The central harbor card has no number, but an anchor instead.
2 reference cards.
6 special cards: 2 Floods, 2 Bridges, and 2 Customs Houses.
20 coins.
48 Warehouses matching the goods shown on the Dock cards. There are 3 types of warehouse: brown for wine, beige for tea, and green for spices.
5 red Warehouse Keepers and 5 black Warehouse Keepers.
1 ship: this is the patrol ship of the Amsterdam authorities (advanced rules only).

Setup

Remove the 6 special cards and the ship. Each player takes a reference card. Separate the cards by type (Water or Dock).

Remove the central harbor card (the one with the anchor) from the Water deck and place it face up in the center of the table. This is the center of the harbor. Shuffle the remaining Water cards and form a face-down draw pile. Draw 8 cards and lay them face up to form a cross (see the figure on page 3 of the rules). Each player takes 2 Water cards into hand. Now turn the draw pile so that its top card is always visible.

Separate the Dock cards by the color of their numbers, and each player takes the cards of their color. Each player shuffles their deck and takes 3 cards face down into hand. The rest of these cards form their face-up draw pile.

The player with the red cards takes the red Warehouse Keepers. The other player does the same with the black ones. Each player takes 3 coins; the rest form the treasury of the city of Amsterdam. You may not hide your money.

Sequence of Play

It is important to follow the turn sequence precisely. Each round of play consists of:

Play a card face down: both players choose one of their 5 cards in hand and place it face down in front of them.
Reveal simultaneously: both cards are turned face up at the same time.
Pay taxes: if the revealed card has a coin symbol, the opponent must immediately pay one coin to the city treasury.
Determine the starting player: the player whose card has the higher number acts first. They then carry out the following actions:
Place the card: they add their card to the cards already on the table.
Place a Warehouse: if the card they placed is a Dock card showing goods, they place a Warehouse of the matching color on it.
They draw a Dock card from their draw pile if they played a Dock card, or a Water card if they played a Water card.
Receive money: if the player played a Water card, they receive one coin from the treasury for having expanded the city's canals.
Next player: the other player now carries out actions 5 through 8. Once both players have completed their actions, a new round begins.

Paying Taxes

If your opponent plays a card with a coin, you must pay one coin to the treasury (not to the opponent). If you cannot pay, you must take your card back into hand and your turn ends. If a card with a coin is taken back into hand this way, the opponent does not pay taxes. If both players must pay and cannot, they both pass their turn and each takes one coin. No credit is given.

Placing a Card

The player whose turn it is must place their card next to those already on the table. The played card must be adjacent (horizontally or vertically) to a side of a card already on the table. Its type and owner do not matter for this. Once placed, a card cannot be moved or covered.

Zones

Only Dock cards adjacent to each other (horizontally or vertically) can form a zone. It does not matter who owns them. A zone is bounded by Water cards or by the edge of the playing area, and is always distinct from other zones. New zones can be created by playing Water cards.

Example, bottom right of page 4: Dock card #7 forms its own zone because it is bordered horizontally and vertically by Water cards. Dock cards #3, 9, and 36 form another zone that is not yet fully enclosed and could still be extended.

Expanding the Board

The complete game forms a 6x6 square of cards. However, the initial layout is a 5x5 cross. At the start of the game, the edges of the board are not yet fixed. Once 6 columns or 6 rows have been reached, the extent of the board in that direction is fixed and no more cards may be played to expand it further in that direction. Otherwise the game continues normally. Once a 6x6 square is reached, zones are considered bounded by the edges of the board.

Cranes

With Cranes, players can block spaces next to their opponent's Dock cards. This reserves the spaces directly adjacent, horizontally and vertically, so that no Dock cards can be placed there. The opponent may still play Water cards there. Cards already placed are not affected by Cranes. As a result, a space adjacent to 2 opposing Cranes can only receive a Water card.

Tavern

In the base game, Taverns have no function.

Placing Warehouses

If a player has placed their first Dock card with goods in a zone, they place the matching Warehouses on it.

Example, top right of page 5: the card shows a barrel of wine and tea. A brown Warehouse and a beige Warehouse are placed on it.

This card becomes the player's distribution center for that zone. When that player places a Dock card with goods in the same zone, the matching Warehouses are placed on the distribution center.

Example, middle right of page 5: the card shows a sack of spices, so a green Warehouse is placed on the distribution center for that zone.

By looking at a zone's distribution center, you can immediately see how many goods that player has acquired in that zone.

In each zone, each player with goods has only one distribution center. If, during play, two zones are connected and a player has a distribution center in each, the Warehouses are moved onto one of the centers and the other is no longer a distribution center.

Scoring Goods Advantage

A player scores victory points when a zone is completed and their stock of goods there is worth more than their opponent's. Compare the players' Warehouses, type by type.

A player with the greatest advantage in one type of goods controls the zone. An advantage is the difference between the number of goods of that type held by each player in that zone.

Example, top left of page 6: in this zone, the red player has 2 more beige goods than their opponent (+2). The same is true for the green goods (+2). But the black player has 3 more brown goods (+3). That is the largest advantage, so the black player receives the victory point for this zone.
Often both players have equal strength in a zone, with neither having the largest advantage in a single good. The winner is then the player who has the advantage in the most types of goods (the greatest number of advantages).

Example, bottom left of page 6: in another zone, both players have advantages of +1. But the black player has more advantages overall and therefore receives the point for this zone.
If both players lead in one type each and their advantages are equal, the value of each good determines the winner. Wine is worth more than spices, spices are worth more than tea, and tea is worth more than wine.

Example, right side of page 6: in another zone, both players have an advantage of +1 and are tied in one good. Since wine is worth more than spices, the red player receives the point.
In the case of a perfect tie, no point is awarded. The same applies to a zone with no Warehouses in it.

The player who won control of a zone places one of their Warehouse Keepers there. Each player removes the Warehouses from the zone where points were scored; those Warehouses return to the supply. At the end of the game, each player counts their Warehouse Keepers — these are their victory points (1 Keeper = 1 point).

When a zone is completed, it is scored immediately. Then the round continues normally.

Drawing a Card

When a player has placed a card, they draw a matching card. On each turn, each player will have 3 Dock cards and 2 Water cards in hand. If a player forgets to draw a card, they may do so as soon as they notice. When a deck is exhausted, no more cards of that type can be drawn, and players will have fewer cards of that type in hand.

Receiving Money

When a player plays a Water card, they receive one coin from the city treasury. If there is no money left in the treasury, they receive nothing. If a player forgets to take their money, they cannot do so later.

There is another way to earn money. Before revealing cards, a player may choose not to play a card. They then receive one coin. The other player plays their turn normally. If you pass this way, you do not pay taxes.

End of Game

The game ends immediately when the 6x6 board is filled. It is possible that a player may not be able to place the card they played. Score the completed zones.

A player scores one point for each Warehouse Keeper on a zone. The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, the winner is the player with the most money. If there is still a tie, there is no winner.

Advanced Rules

The ship opens up new possibilities. With it, players can remove Dock cards from the board. In addition, the playing area is larger, and only the 5 largest zones are scored. Play with the base rules unless stated otherwise.

Playing Area

The board is 7x7 cards. The initial layout stays the same: a 5x5 cross with the harbor card in the center.

Zone Size and Scoring

Completed zones are scored as usual and occupied by Warehouse Keepers. But at the end of the game, only the 5 largest zones are counted for victory points. The size of a zone is the number of Dock cards (of any color) inside it.

If more than 5 zones are tied for size, count first the zones closest to the center (the harbor). Calculate the shortest route using cards orthogonal to the harbor card. If there is still a tie for distance, those zones are not counted. This may lead to counting other zones instead.

The Ship

It starts the game on the harbor card.

When a player plays a card with the ship symbol, before placing their card, they may move the ship. They may place it on any Water card of their choice, except the one it was already on. If the ship arrives on a Water card adjacent to a Dock card with the ship symbol, that card may be removed. This card is placed at the bottom of its owner's deck. If several cards with the ship symbol are adjacent to the ship, the player chooses which one to remove. You may remove one of your own Dock cards.

You are not obliged to remove a card when you move the ship. After removing a card, the player fills the resulting gap with their own card. If you do not wish to move the ship, it stays where it is. In that case, you cannot remove a card.

You cannot remove Dock cards without the ship symbol, Water cards, or cards inside a completed zone.

Destroyed or Moved Warehouses

When a Dock card is removed, its matching Warehouse is also removed (there may be several). If the removed card held a distribution center, or if removing the card creates two or more new zones, a new distribution center must be designated. If the removed card is the only one with that player's goods in that zone, all their Warehouses are removed along with the card.

Example, bottom right of page 8: the black player removes card 3 with the ship. The red player must return their 3 Warehouses to the supply and put card 3 at the bottom of their deck. Cards 36 and 16 now form separate zones. The black player must split their Warehouses. The green Warehouse is moved onto card 16.

Completed Zones

Cards cannot be removed from completed zones with the ship.

4-Player Rules

Play in teams of 2 players. One team takes the red cards, the other the black cards. Both players on a team share the same distribution center in a zone. The board is 8x8 cards.

Setup

Teammates sit next to each other. They divide the Dock cards evenly between them. Each player draws 3 cards from their own deck and 2 Water cards, for 5 cards in hand. The decks are turned so the top card of each is visible. Each player takes 4 coins. Shuffle the 6 special cards and deal one to each player. The remaining special cards are not used.

Sequence of Play

The turn procedure is the same as in the advanced game. All 4 players play a card of their choice, and the number in the corner determines turn order. Teammates share the same goal but keep their own cards and money separate. You may not show your cards to your partner. If a player on a team has no money left, their partner cannot give them any. Money is kept separately by each player.

Placing Cards

Once cards are revealed, each team may discuss the placement of their 2 cards. This is the only time the two players may talk to each other.

Scoring

Only the 5 largest zones are scored. Each of them must have at least 2 Dock cards, otherwise they are not counted.

Drawing Cards

You can only draw Dock cards from your own deck. Water cards are drawn from the shared deck. If a deck runs out of cards, that player can no longer draw cards of that type and plays with fewer cards in hand.

Playing with the Ship

If a player removes an opposing Dock card with the ship, they may choose which opposing deck to place the card under.

Special Cards

Flood: with this card, a player may cover a Dock card (with goods) or a Bridge. You may not cover Water cards or other Dock cards. The Flood counts as a Water card, but you do not gain money for playing it.

Bridge: with this card, a player may cover a Water card or a Flood. This card allows two zones to be combined if they have not yet been scored. The Bridge counts as a Dock card.

Customs House: it may be played like any Water or Dock card. It cannot be played to close a zone. A zone with a Customs House gives one additional victory point. A zone with 2 Customs Houses gives 3 points in total.

Special cards cannot be played onto or within an already-completed zone. When you play a special card, you do not draw a card to replace it.

Scenarios for 2 and 4 Players

Play with the advanced rules unless stated otherwise. The ship always starts on the harbor card.

Grand Canal (2 players)

The layout of the Grand Canal defines a 4x12 board (see the figure on page 10, left). All zones are scored.

Always Go Small (2 players)

Initial layout: only the harbor card. Playing area: 6x6 cards. Remove the Cranes from the game and play without the ship. All zones smaller than 4 cards are scored. Zones of 1 card score 1 point. Zones of 2 cards score 2 points. Zones of 3 cards score 3 points.

Water Game (2 players)

Playing area: 6x6 cards. All zones are scored. Every Dock card must be bordered by at least one Water card. If a player cannot find a free space next to water to place a card, they must take it back into hand.

Tic Tac Toe (2 players)

The 8x8 playing area is already fixed (see the figure on page 10, right). Remove the Cranes from the game. A player who gets 3 zones in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) wins. As soon as a player achieves this, the game ends immediately. Zones must be completely surrounded by water and belong to a single player. If no one achieves this, the winner is the player with the most zones. Water cards may be played, but no new zones may be split off.

Baksheesh (2 players)

Normal initial layout. Playing area: 6x6 cards. Each player receives 3 coins. Play without the ship and set aside 10 Water cards face down. Only the 5 largest zones are scored. Before choosing cards each round, each player may buy an opposing Dock card with goods of their choice by paying a bribe. A Dock card with 1 good costs 1 coin, with 2 goods 2 coins, with 3 goods 3 coins. The money goes to the supply, and the targeted card returns to the bottom of its owner's deck. Cards in completed zones cannot be bought.

David and Goliath (2 players)

Normal initial layout. Playing area: 6x6 cards. Only the 3 smallest zones are scored.

Giant (2 players)

Normal initial layout. Playing area: 8x8 cards. Only the 7 largest zones will be scored.

Gulliver's Travels (2 players)

Initial layout: only the harbor card. Playing area: 5x5 cards. Each player starts with 3 coins. Remove the Cranes without the ship symbol and the Taverns. All zones are scored.

Justice (2 players)

Each player may form their starting hand by choosing 3 Dock cards. Water cards are drawn normally. In addition, remove 4 Dock cards from each deck.

Special Cards (2 players)

Shuffle the 6 special cards to form a face-down draw pile. Before a round, a player may buy special cards for 2 coins. If both players want to buy and there are not enough special cards left, the player showing the higher card in hand may buy.

Great Island (2 and 4 players)

Initial layout: see the figure on page 11. Playing area: 7x7 cards with 2 players, 8x8 with 4 players. With 2 players, remove the Cranes without the ship symbol. With 4 players, play without the special cards. The inner zone is worth 2 points, and Water cards may not be played there. All zones are scored.

Poverty (2 and 4 players)

Normal initial layout. Playing area: 7x7 cards. Each player receives only 3 coins; the rest of the coins are removed from the game. There are 6 coins in play with 2 players and 12 with 4 players. If a player goes bankrupt and there is no money left in the bank, the game ends and the other player or team wins.

Old Rope (2 and 4 players)

A player or team with a Tavern on the board at the end of the game may decide whether the zone containing it is scored or not. If 2 Taverns are in the same zone, it is scored automatically.