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Partners

Partners has similarities to the Pachisi / Sorry! family of games, but with a few noticeable twists.

The object of the game is to move own men from home to the target area as fast as possible. They are moved in a clockwise direction along the course according to the value of the cards. The winning player or team is the one who has first placed all its 8 men in the target area.

The first twist is that play is based on a hand of four cards held by each player. Card values range from 1-14, with a number of special actions represented.

The second twist is that it is a partnership game, with the players winning or losing as a team, which adds a significant level of strategy and tactics to the game. Partners trade one card at the beginning of each round, and once one player from a partnership has completed his or her group, his or her plays now assist his or her partner.


Games goal
The couple who first get both their four game pieces in the "house" is the winner. Played outcome is largely determined by how well the two "partners" ability interplay is. The game's structure requires participants to think practically and carefully consider each move.


Beginning of the game
The game board is placed on a table, and the players sitting opposite each other, are now "partners". That is, the yellow and blue pairs, and red and green pairs. Each participant will get their pieces, that is placed outside the board. One of the participants shuffles the cards and give each participant 4 cards.

The game continues
Each participant takes their 4 cards up on in hand and swaps one of these four cards with their partner. These cards should be exchanged simultaneously by the two couples and kept hidden so that opponents do not see the card's value. In the beginning of the game, the tactical dimension be small, but as the game progresses, this brief exchange of great importance.

The player left of the dealer starts the game by putting a card down on the game board and do the command that the card shows. The game is played clockwise. You may only put a piece out into the triangular starting field, if you have a Start card. If you can not use some of your cards, you have to put all the cards down without making a move. The player must then wait for cards to be dealt again. (Note that traded cards can be used without having one has a piece in the board.)


Special playing cards values
Minus 4 card: When you get this card, you must move one of your own pieces four fields backwards/counter-clockwise. This does not apply to the pieces that have in the "house". These are protected and can not be moved out or swapped.

Can be divided in 7 card: This card can be divided into 7 units, i.e. a player can decide to move all the pieces they have in play, so they can for example move two fields with one piece, and five fields with another piece.

Switch places card: When this card is placed you must swap any two game pieces on the board (except game pieces that are in the "house"). Even if you don't have pieces on the board, you can swap two pieces to the greatest possible assistance to one's "partner" or a inconvenience to your opponents.

1/or 14 card: The card can be used to move 1 or 14 fields.

With the other cards, you move one of your pieces the ammount of spaces, that is numbered on the card.


When all have played their four cards, the dealer hands out 4 new cards to each participant, and the game continues from here. When the first dealer have dealt cards in 3 rounds (there will be 4 left over, those gets put in the plie of used cards!), the next player, to the left, takes up the pile of used cards, shuffles and deals out cards. This process continues, until the game is over.

Each time the cards are dealt, the partners exchange one of their four cards with each other.

If one piece or more of your own pieces is on your Start field, no other player can passage through your Start field (this also applies to your "partner"!).

If you have a Minus 4 card, and one piece in your Start field you can benefit greatly by moving your piece 4 fields backwards and thus come closer to your "house".

If you land on a field, where there's already one piece, and it belongs to one of the three players, the piece that was there first, becomes eliminated from the game and have to start over with a new Start card. If you land on a field, where there's already two alike pieces, and it belongs to one of the three players, your own piece becomes eliminated from the game and have to start over with a new Start card.

Two identical peces, that are in the same field, is protected and can not be exchanged.

When a piece is in "house", it is prtotected.

Pieces, that is in the "house", can not move past each other. It is therefore necessary to use some of your cards to move your pieces all the way into your "house".

If you get in a situation where you can not use some of your cards, you must place the remaining cards in the pile, you have on your hand, and wait for the next time cards are dealt.


How to win
The objective is to get both yourown four pieces in the "house" and help your "partner" with their pieces.

As soon as one of the two "partners" has got their pieces in the "house", he/she helps the other to get the last pieces in the "house", ie he/she uses the cards he has/gets of the dealer. (They still have to swarp cards with their "partner").

The game's outcome also depends on who is the best to prevent their opponents to get first.


All scans were provided by lilxDANISH. He also did the rule translation from danish to english.