White Elephant (2011) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Preparation
• Rules of Play
• Scoring

Components

• 50 Gift Cards, numbered 1-10 in five colors
• 7 Gift List Cards, three different colors per card

Preparation

1. Separate the Gift Cards from the Gift List Cards.
2. Shuffle the Gift List Cards and give one to each player face-up; this is the player's gift list. Discard any extra Gift List Cards.
3. Shuffle and deal the Gift Cards to each player to make up the player's "attic" (cards held in hand) based on the number of players shown below. Discard any extra Gift Cards.

• 3 players – 9 cards to each player
• 4 players – 8 cards to each player
• 5 players – 5 cards to each player
• 6 players – 6 cards to each player
• 7 players – 7 cards to each player

Rules of Play

There is one "White Elephant Party" for each card in a player's attic (i.e. in a six player game there will be six parties, in a four player game there will be eight parties). For each "Party":

• Each player "brings a gift to the party" by simultaneously placing one Gift Card from their hand face-down in the center of the table.
• The player to the dealer's left begins by selecting any of the face-down gifts on the table and "opens" it by turning it face-up and placing it in front of him.
• The next players in clockwise order either select an unopened gift, or "steal" an opened gift, by taking a face-up Gift Card from a player who has an available open gift. When players steal an open gift they place their hand on top of it to show it is unavailable until a new gift is opened. A gift may be stolen only once until a new Gift Card is "opened", it then becomes available to steal again.
• Players who have a gift stolen take their turn by either selecting an unopened gift or stealing an available gift.
• When a new Gift Card is turned over, all stolen Gift Cards are uncovered so the next player may either open an unopened gift or steal any opened gift.
• This continues until the last gift is opened. Each player keeps the gift they have and tucks it face-up below their Gift List Card so the number is visible.
• A new party begins. The new starting player is the person next to the previous starting player in clockwise order.
• Play continues until all Gift Cards have been played.

Scoring

At the end of the game players count only the one highest-numbered Gift Card they received that matches each color on their Gift List Card (i.e. each player will be able to count at most three cards, one for each color on their Gift List Card). The total of these cards is the player's final score. The player with the most points wins. In the event of a tie, victory is claimed by the cheapskate who best explains why their most excellent offerings will tickle the fancy of the people on their list.