Partners
Partners Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
- 1 game board
- 56 cards
- 16 playing pieces, 4 in each colour
- 1 rules sheet
Object of the Game
The pair that first gets both partners' 4 playing pieces into the "house" has won. The outcome is largely decided by how well the two "partners" play together. The design of the game requires the participants to think practically and consider each move carefully.
Start of the Game
The board is placed on the table, and the players sitting opposite each other are now "partners". That is, yellow and blue form a pair, and red and green form a pair. Each participant receives 4 playing pieces, which are placed outside the board. One of the participants shuffles the cards and deals 4 cards to each participant.
The Game Continues
Each participant picks up their 4 cards and must exchange 1 of these 4 cards with their partner. The cards must be exchanged simultaneously by the two pairs and kept hidden, so that the opponents do not see the card's value.
At the beginning of the game the tactical dimension will be small, but as the game progresses this exchange of cards will become very important.
The player to the left of the dealer starts the game by laying a card on the board and making the move the card shows. Play proceeds clockwise. You may only put a piece out onto the triangular start space if you have a start card. If you cannot use any of your cards, you must lay down all your cards without making a move. The player must then wait until cards are dealt again. (Note that exchange cards can be used without having a piece in play.)
When everyone has played their 4 cards, the dealer deals 4 new cards to each participant, and play continues from there.
When the first dealer, after three rounds of play, has dealt out all the cards (there will be 4 left over; these are simply put in the pile!), the next player takes the used cards, shuffles them anew and deals them out. The dealing of cards continues in this way until the game is over.
Every time cards are dealt, the partners must exchange 1 of the 4 cards with each other.
If you have one or more of your own pieces on your own start space, others cannot pass (this also applies to your "partner"!).
If you hold a 4 and your piece is on the start space, you can with great advantage begin by moving this piece 4 spaces against the direction of play and thereby get close to your own "house".
If you land on a space where a piece already stands, and it belongs to one of the three other players, the piece that stood there first is knocked out of the game and must start over with a new start card. If you land on a space where there are 2 identical pieces belonging to one of the three other players, your own piece is knocked out of the game and must start over with a new start card.
2 identical pieces standing on the same space are protected and may not be swapped.
When a piece is in the "house" it is protected.
Pieces that are in the "house" cannot move past each other. It is therefore necessary to use some of your cards to move the pieces all the way into place in the "house".
If you get into a situation where you cannot use any of your cards, you must lay down the remaining cards you may hold in your hand and wait until the next time cards are dealt.
Values of the Special Cards
- 4 (shown as -4): If you get this card, you must move one of your own pieces 4 spaces against the direction of play. This does not apply to pieces that may be in the "house". These are protected and cannot be moved out or swapped.
- 7 ("Må deles!" - may be divided): This card can be divided into 7 units, i.e. a player can move all the pieces he has in play, so that he can, for example, move two spaces with one piece and five spaces with another.
- Swap places ("Byt plads!"): When this card is played you may swap any two playing pieces on the board (except pieces that are in the "house"). Even if you have no pieces in play yourself, you can swap two pieces to give your "partner" the greatest possible help or to hinder the opponents.
- Ace (1 / 14): The card counts as both 1 and 14.
- Other cards: With the other cards you move one of your pieces forward the number of spaces printed on the card.
Winning the Game
The aim is to get all of your own pieces into the "house" and to help your "partner". As soon as one of the two "partners" has got his pieces into the "house", he helps the other get the last pieces into the "house", i.e. he uses the cards he has/receives from the dealer. (Cards are still exchanged with the "partner".)
The outcome of the game also depends on who is best at preventing the opponents from getting there first.