Level Up
Level Up Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 98 playing cards, consisting of 90 number cards (1-15 in 6 colors), 5 Jokers and 3 "Skip!" ("Aussetzen!") cards
- 6 double-sided level cards
- 6 level indicators
Please note: Before the first game, the level indicators must be carefully cut with a paper knife or carpet knife along the two dashed lines.
Object of the Game
Over several exciting rounds, each player tries to collect and lay out the card combinations for his eight levels as quickly as possible. Whoever manages this first wins.
(Margin note: Whoever completes all 8 levels first wins.)
Setup
Each player receives a level card and a level indicator. He slides the level card with its front side (= 1 star) into his level indicator so that the first level ("2 runs of three") is visible in the window.
The levels on the front side are:
- 2 runs of three
- 4 pairs
- 1 run of three + 4 cards of one color
- 1 run of six + 1 pair
- 1 run of seven
- 1 pair + 2 triples
- 1 triple + 5 cards of one color
- 1 pair + 1 triple + 1 quadruple
Then: "Victory" (Sieg).
One player is chosen as the first dealer. He shuffles the 98 playing cards well and deals 10 cards face down to each player (including himself), one at a time around the table. The remaining cards are placed face down in the middle of the table as the draw pile.
Each player has 10 hand cards.
Then the dealer turns over the top card of the draw pile and places it face up next to the draw pile so that it points toward him. This is the first card of his personal discard pile. During the game, every other player will also build his own discard pile, always pointing in his own direction.
Play
The player to the left of the dealer begins. Play then proceeds clockwise. The player whose turn it is does the following:
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First, pick up a card (mandatory): He must pick up either the top card of the draw pile or the top card of any discard pile.
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Then lay out his level (optional): To do so, he lays all the cards needed for his current level face up and visible to all in front of him. In level 1 these are, for example, 2 runs of three.
Attention: It is not allowed to lay out only parts of the level (for example, in level 1 only one run of three instead of both). Likewise, one may never add further "sub-tasks" to one's level (for example, laying out a third run in level 1).
As soon as a player has laid out his level, he may add further hand cards that fit to cards already laid out. He may do this both with his own cards and with those of his fellow players. This applies from the moment he lays out his cards and for all his further turns in the current round.
His goal is to get rid of his remaining hand cards as quickly as possible, because only then can he collect the bonus (see "End of a Round").
Examples:
- A run of three (4, 5, 6) is laid out, among others: the player may add a 7 (and then an 8, etc.) and/or a 3 (and then a 2, etc.).
- 4 pairs (2-2, 3-3, 6-6, 6-6) are laid out, among others: the player may add any matching 2, 3 and 6.
- A run of four (8, 9, 10, 11) and two pairs (3-3, 9-9) are laid out, among others: the player may add a 7 (and then a 6, etc.) and/or a 12 (and then a 13, etc.), or any 3 and 9.
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Finally, place a card on his own discard pile (mandatory): To finish his turn, the player must discard a card: he places any hand card face up on his discard pile.
Note: If the last face-down card of the draw pile is drawn during a round, every player gives back all cards of his discard pile except the top card (which continues to form his discard pile). The returned cards are shuffled and set out as the new draw pile.
The Combinations
- Runs are several cards with directly consecutive numbers in any color (such as 4-5-6 or 8-9-10-11). Note: There is no connection between 15 and 1!
- Pairs, triples, etc. ("Zwillinge, Drillinge usw.") are several cards with the same value (such as 4-4-4 or 11-11-11-11).
- x cards of one color are any numbers of the same color (e.g. 7-2-11-15 or 12-13-4-8-1).
End of a Round
A round ends immediately when a player discards his last hand card onto his discard pile. As a bonus, this player may advance his level card by two levels (that is, he skips a level!): +2 levels.
All other players who have also laid out their current level advance their level card by one level: +1 level.
Players who have not laid out their level do nothing: +/-0.
New round: Now the left neighbor of the old dealer becomes the new dealer. He gathers all laid-out cards and all hand cards, shuffles the 98 playing cards anew and again deals 10 cards to each player. He turns over the top card of the draw pile and places it as the first card of his discard pile. Then his left neighbor begins the next round ...
The Jokers (5x)
A Joker replaces any other number or color. (Margin note: A Joker replaces any other number or color.)
A Joker can be used for any number or color (but not as a "Skip!" card). Several Jokers may be used for one level. For every Joker laid out, it must always be clear what it is being used for. If necessary, the player laying it out must state which number or color a Joker replaces. Jokers that have been laid out may not be exchanged for matching cards.
The "Skip!" Cards (3x)
Instead of discarding a card onto his own discard pile as the third action of his turn, a player may also place a "Skip!" card from his hand in front of any fellow player who does not already have such a card in front of him.
When this player's turn comes, he must skip: as the only action of his entire turn, he slides the "Skip!" card face up under the draw pile. As soon as an open "Skip!" card later appears there, a new draw pile is formed (see above).
Note: If a "Skip!" card is played as the last hand card (= end of the round), it expires without effect.
End of the Game
A player wins immediately when he is in the 8th level and lays it out (he therefore no longer needs to get rid of his remaining hand cards!).
A player also wins if he has laid out his 7th level and ends the current round. By doing so he skips the 8th level and slides his level card onto the word "Victory" (Sieg)!
(Margin note: Whoever first lays out his 8th level, or ends the round in the 7th level, wins.)
Looking for More of a Challenge?
Harder levels: If you like, you can also play with the back side of the level cards. These 8 levels (with 2 stars) are harder, so the following special rule applies:
Whoever, at the end of a round, is in level 5, 6, 7 or 8 (numbering underlaid in gold) and has not yet laid out his level, may keep up to four hand cards. He takes them along into the next round and thereby improves his chances of completing his level. Of course, these players then receive only as many new cards as they need to again have 10 hand cards.
(Note: the harder levels on the back side of the level cards are not listed in the rulebook text.)