Next! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
• Combinations
• Playing a Game
• Two Black Dice
• Action Cards
• End of the Game

Components

• 6 coloured dice with 6 faces each (4 white dice and 2 black dice)
• 1 track and 1 dice thrower (vertical tower)
• 45 cards
• 3 card holders

Setup

Connect the 3 card holders and place the dice thrower on the dice track. Shuffle the cards, then distribute them into the card holders as 3 piles of 15 cards, face up (see fig. 1).

Combinations

Each card shows the dice combination that must be made to win it.

If the dice faces shown on a card are in specific colours, you must obtain exactly those colours to win the card. If the dice faces shown on a card are in 6 colours, there is no required colour, but you must obtain the dice combinations listed below (see fig. 2).

• a) Three of a kind (Brelan): 3 dice of the same colour.
• b) Triple Pair: 3 pairs of dice, that is 3 times two dice of the same colour. The 3 pairs may be of different colours or of the same colour.
• c) Full House (Full): 1 pair and 1 three of a kind, that is 2 dice of the same colour and 3 dice of the same colour. The pair and the three of a kind may be of different colours or of the same colour.
• d) Four of a kind (Carré): 4 dice of the same colour.
• e) Small colour (Petite couleur): 5 dice of the same colour.
• f) Double Three of a kind (Double Brelan): 2 times 3 dice of the same colour. The 2 threes of a kind may be of different colours or of the same colour.
• g) Four of a kind and Pair (Carré et Paire): 2 dice of the same colour and 4 dice of the same colour. The pair and the four of a kind may be of different colours or of the same colour.
• h) Large colour (Grande Couleur): 6 dice of the same colour.

Playing a Game

The first player is chosen at random, then play proceeds clockwise.

On his turn, a player may throw the dice up to 3 times. If he achieves the combination of one of the 3 visible cards, he may stop there and take the card after one, two or three throws. He places the card he has won in front of him, face down.

• First throw: the player throws all 6 dice into the dice thrower. If he achieves an existing combination in a card holder, he has the choice of stopping there and taking the card concerned. His turn is then over and it is the next player's turn. If no combination appears after the first throw, or if the player wishes to try to obtain another card, he may decide to set aside dice before his second throw. He then places the dice of his choice off the track, taking care not to change their upper face.

• Second throw: the player throws into the dice thrower the dice that he has not set aside. If he achieves one of the visible combinations in the card holders, he has the choice of stopping there and taking the card concerned. His turn is then over. If no combination appears after the second throw, or if the player wishes to try to obtain another card, he may decide to set aside dice before throwing again. He may also, if he wishes, re-throw dice that were previously set aside.

• Third throw: the player throws the dice that he has not set aside. His turn is then over:

  • if he has achieved a visible combination in a card holder, he takes the card concerned and it is the next player's turn, who must re-throw all the dice;
  • if after this third throw he has achieved no combination, his turn is also over, but the next player then has two options:
    1. keep the dice of his choice from the previous player; he then has only two throws left to make a combination, and he begins his turn as for a second throw (see above);
    2. re-throw all 6 dice; he then begins as for a first throw (see above).

Warning: if after a first or second throw a player chooses to re-throw when he had the possibility of taking a card, he will no longer have the opportunity to take that card afterwards. That combination is lost; for this turn, the player must make another one.

In the example (fig. 3), after his first throw the player has rolled red, red, red, red, green and blue. He could stop his turn and take the card "4 dice of the same colour", worth 2 points, but he decides to keep the 4 red dice and continue throwing to obtain a fifth red die, which would allow him to win the card "5 dice of the same colour", worth 3 points. If he fails, he wins no card.

Two Black Dice

When these two dice have been thrown together and show the same colour, the player may change any one die (whether black or white) into the colour of his choice, either to set it aside or to make a combination.

Action Cards

Some cards show symbols that trigger special actions. The effects of these cards are applied as soon as they have been won. (see fig. 4)

• A) Replay (+1): 3 additional dice throws.
• B) Card theft: take a card previously won by one of your opponents. You choose a player, who must present his cards in a fan, face down, so that you can take one of them.
• C) Exchange: the player of your choice presents his cards to you in a fan, face down, so that you can draw one of them. Then you choose one of your own cards from those you already had, and give it to him in exchange.
• D) Super exchange: you act as above, but with each of your opponents!

End of the Game

The game ends differently depending on the number of players.

• With 2 players, the game ends as soon as a player has won 10 cards. However, a player who has won at least 7 cards and who believes he has more points than the others may decide to end the game at the end of his turn.
• With 3 players, the game ends when a player has won 8 cards, unless a player who has won at least 5 cards decides to end the game.
• With 4 to 6 players, the game ends when a player has won 6 cards, unless a player who has won at least 4 cards decides to end the game.

When the game ends, the players add up the values of the cards they have won: the player with the most points wins.