Le Passe-Trappe Grande Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Materials
• How to Play
  • Some Precisions
• The Variants
  • 1. The "Best of Seven"
  • 2. Classical
  • 3. Solitaire Madness
  • 4. Solitaire Reflected
  • 5. Not a Laughing Matter
  • 6. Ambidexterity
• The Big Slam

The Materials

• A framework in beech with a slippery bottom and 2 rubber bands
• 10 disks
• 6 pegs for scoring
• A sand timer

How to Play

To begin, each player places their disks where they wish in his camp except in front of the trap door. The 2 players play at the same time.

The goal of the game is to pass as quickly as possible all the disks of his camp through the trap and leave them in the opponent's camp.

The disks will not be able to be propelled except by using the rubber bands.

Some Precisions

• The game begins after the two players touch hands.
• The players may only use one hand to move and send the disk (the other hand will be able to hold on to the framework).
• Only disks that go through the central trap door will be allowed. A disk that goes over the wall should be returned to the player that shot it.
• A disk that is located in the trap door will not be able to be played; it must be hit by another disk and moved first.

The Variants

1. The "Best of Seven"

The most played one, adds a little stress. The first player to win four rounds wins the match.

Sequence of matches: one of the two players turns the timer, the players touch hands and commence for about 45 seconds of madness. The round finishes as soon as the time is done. The winner of the round is the player with the fewest disks in his camp. The winner places a peg in one of the three holes on his side.

In case of a tie, it will be necessary to play a tiebreaker round: begin again with 5 disks on each side, the players touch hands then begin playing. The first one to pass a disk into his opponent's camp wins the round.

If one of the two players passes all of the disks in his camp into his opponent's camp before the granted time, then the round counts double, and the winner receives 2 pegs.

2. Classical

Practiced in tournaments and at the time of the French championship. The game plays as best 2 rounds out of three. The winner is the first player to win 2 matches. Use the pegs to keep track of the scoring.

3. Solitaire Madness

You play alone. Place the 10 disks in your camp, turn the timer, clap your hands and begin playing. The goal is to have fewer disks in your camp than in the opponent's when the timer runs out.

4. Solitaire Reflected

You play alone and without the timer. You must try passing a maximum of disks in 20 tries.

5. Not a Laughing Matter

For a lighter mood; you will need 1 referee, indeed 2 is also good. Play as the standard game. If one of the players sees or hears his opponent laugh, they can lay down the timer for a moment, establish that the opponent did indeed laugh, then punish the cheerful one by discarding one of the disks in their own camp. The game then recommences, the timer is turned, the players touch hands.

6. Ambidexterity

This variant plays as the standard game but a game plays in 2 rounds; the first round with the more skillful hand, the second one with the off-hand.

The Big Slam

The big slam combines the last four variants. Every round gives a number of points:

• Solitaire Reflected: 2 points per disk having crossed the trap door
• Solitaire Madness: 2 points per disk having crossed the trap door
• Classical: 30 points for each round won
• Best of Seven: 30 points for each round won

The winner is the one with the most points.