Zatre: Das Kartenspiel
Zatre: Das Kartenspiel Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 50 cards, each showing two pip values
- 1 scoring block (Wertungsblock)
Object of the Game
The goal is to lay cards on the table to form horizontal and/or vertical rows with pip totals of "10", "11" or "12", as far as possible. Only a player who can lay such rows, or extend rows to such a total, may enter points on his scoring sheet. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Setup
Each player receives one sheet from the scoring block, on which he records his scores during the game.
The game is played in rounds, and as many rounds are played as there are players.
Shuffle all 50 cards. The first round requires 25 cards. The other 25 cards are returned to the box for now.
The dealer deals three cards face down to each of the other players and four cards to himself. He distributes the remaining cards evenly among all players. These cards are placed face down next to each player as his personal draw pile.
The dealer is the starting player; play then continues clockwise.
Gameplay
The starting player lays two cards on the empty table and tries to achieve one or several scores, which he enters on his scoring sheet. Afterwards he immediately draws one card from his draw pile into his hand.
Figure 1: Two examples of how the starting player can lay his two cards (shown as alternatives, "or").
From then on, each player always plays only one card and draws one card from his pile to replenish his hand. The newly played card must touch a card already laid.
Figure 2: An example of how the second player can play his card.
Laying a card and drawing a card are compulsory. Once the personal draw piles are empty, drawing is no longer done, and play continues until no player has any cards left in hand.
Note: Rows with more than twelve pips may not be laid. Rows with a pip total of nine or fewer are allowed, but they are not scored. A card may also be laid so that its two halves become part of different horizontal and/or vertical rows (see Figure 3 on the next page).
Exception: It can happen that a player holds only cards with which he would have to form rows of more than twelve pips. In this case he shows his cards to the other players, places these cards together with the 25 set-aside cards, and draws three new cards face down from there into his hand. If necessary, this procedure is repeated until he can play a card.
Scoring
To score, a player must lay his card so that, horizontally and/or vertically, it forms rows with a pip total of "10", "11" or "12", or extends rows to such a total. All pips in a row are counted, with no gaps.
The scoring sheet has columns for entering the scores achieved. The player receives one point for a total of "10", three points for "11", and five points for "12".
If, after laying one card, a player scores in several card rows at the same time, he receives more points. For example, for two "12" rows he receives ten points, or for three "11" rows he receives nine points.
In Figure 1 the starting player may enter one point in the "10" column. In Figure 2 the second player may simultaneously enter one point in the "10" column and three points in the "11" column.
For rows on the scoring sheet in which the "10", "11" and "12" columns are all filled, the player receives the bonus points pre-printed on the sheet.
The Zero (Null)
Cards with a zero have a special meaning: the zero is part of a row, i.e. the zero does not end a row! Several zeros in one row are possible and allowed.
A zero can connect two partly built rows, provided that the sums of the two rows then do not exceed twelve.
Note: The zero can also be used as a "bridge".
Figure 3: With card 6/0, the player connects two horizontal rows and one vertical row and scores a "10" row, an "11" row and a "12" row.
Figure 4: By "bridging" with card 1/0, the player can score two "12" rows and write 10 points on his sheet.
Triple Scores and the Super Bonus
By playing ahead, a player can try to achieve a triple score with one card. For every triple score in a game, the player receives a super bonus of six points. Earned super bonuses are entered from bottom to top in the last free rows of the scoring sheet in the "Total" column. There are two different triple scores.
If, by laying one card, a player scores a "10" row, an "11" row and a "12" row (as in Figure 3), he receives six additional super bonus points.
Figure 5: Shows the Grand Total area of the scoring sheet, with a 6 circled in the Total column.
If, by laying one card, a player achieves three "12" rows, he likewise receives six super bonus points.
Figure 6: The player achieves three "12" rows with card 1/1. He may write 15 points and 6 bonus points on his sheet.
End of the Game
The first round ends when all 25 cards have been laid. These 25 cards are then taken off the table. For the second round the set-aside cards are used and dealt as described under Setup.
For a third and fourth round, the 50 cards are shuffled again and dealt as described. Depending on the number of players, the game ends after two, three or four rounds. Each player adds up his points on his sheet. The player with the highest total score wins.
Figure 7: Example of a final score. Maria has reached 170 points.