Venise
Venise Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Equipment
- 1 double-sided game board, day and night
- 18 piles
- 8 long planks
- 12 short planks
- 12 hourglass tiles
- 16 gems
- 4 pawns
- 54 playing cards, including 8 jokers
Set-Up
For your first game, prepare the game board as shown in the image on the right of the rules page. You can then choose a different layout from the catalogue at the end of the rules section or even create your own game set-up. Each player takes their share of the planks and a coloured pawn and places it on his/her starting pile.
Number of planks per player, by number of players:
| Number of players | Long planks per player | Short planks per player |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | 3 | 4 |
Place the 8 jokers in the area provided on the board.
Give each player the 4 cards shown on the right, then shuffle the remaining cards. Randomly deal 2 cards per player. Each player therefore has 6 cards that they don't show to the other players.
The remaining cards form a stack, placed face-down in the area provided on the board.
Decide who goes first and take turns in a clockwise direction.
How to Play
To reach the gems, you have to find the best possible path through the labyrinth. To do this, you have to play your cards. They help you lay, remove and move planks as well as make 1, 2 or 3 moves forward. You can use the planks laid by your opponents to go faster. Keep an eye on your opponents, as they can remove planks from right under your nose. When you get to the square containing one of your gems, take it and place it on your tent, then continue your go.
The starting piles form 1 square. Anyone can use them during the game.
The bridge piles form 2 squares. The bridge is 1 square. The lower level, divided into 2 parts that join under the bridge, forms another square. You cannot pass from one square to the other.
The wall piles form 2 squares. A pawn on one side of the wall cannot access the other side.
The plank forms 1 square.
At Your Turn
Play cards costing up to 4 hourglasses OR take a joker card. THEN pick up 2 cards. If you have more than 8 cards in your hand, discard any card of your choice. Place the discarded cards and the cards played face-up in the area provided on the board. When no more cards are available in the stack, shuffle those already played to form a new stack.
When you collect one of your gems, you win an hourglass tile. It can be played straight away or during another turn. They can be cumulated.
When using the hourglass tiles, you can play cards costing up to 4 hourglasses + 1 per tile. When it is your turn, you can also exchange 4 cards of your choice against a joker, which you can play straight away. This is particularly useful when you need an exact card or when you end your turn with more than 8 cards.
Laying a Short Plank = 1 Hourglass
Take it from your stock and lay it down. One end must be touching the square on which your pawn is located. Only the following configurations are allowed, even though others exist:
- Horizontally or vertically between two piles
- Between a long plank and a pile to form a T
- Extending from a short plank to form an X
If you have run out of planks, this card cannot be played.
Laying a Long Plank = 2 Hourglasses
Take it from your stock and lay it down. One end must be touching the square on which your pawn is located. Only the following configurations are allowed, even though others exist:
- Diagonally between two piles without crossing a long plank
- Between two short planks to form an H
If you have run out of planks, this card cannot be played.
Removing a Plank = 1 Hourglass
One end must be touching the square on which your pawn is located. The plank goes in your stock. If other planks fall, they are permanently removed from the game and are placed in the area provided on the board.
This card cannot be played if a pawn is located on the plank or may fall into the water.
Moving a Plank = 2 Hourglasses
One end must be touching the square on which the pawn is located, both to remove and to lay the plank. During the transfer, your pawn cannot make a move.
This card cannot be played if a pawn is located on the plank.
Making 1, 2 or 3 Moves = 1, 2 or 3 Hourglasses
Moving from one plank to another is counted as one move. Moving from one plank to a pile, or the reverse, is counted as one move. Several pawns can cross paths and end up on the same plank or the same pile.
You do not have to make the full number of moves displayed, but the card is worth the number of hourglasses shown. You cannot play a card between moves.
When on an X formation, it only takes one move to go from one short plank to the other.
Laying a Joker = 2 Hourglasses
It replaces any card you want. You cannot have more than 2 jokers in your hand. Once played, put it back in the joker stack.
Night Game
The board has a second side. It shows Venice at night. Two additional piles appear. You can use these piles to open up new paths.
Create Your Own Board
Once you have used all of the boards in the catalogue in the day and night set-ups, use your experience to make your own boards.
Firstly, take an existing board and simply move the gems around. We recommend keeping a fairly symmetrical board for each pawn to give each player an equal chance of winning. Check that the gems can be accessed.
You can then create your own board entirely. The piles must also be placed in a relatively symmetrical manner so that each player has an equal chance of winning. Then place the gems and check that they can be accessed.