Sequence
Sequence: An Abstract Pattern-Making Game (Version 1.0)
Copyright 2007 by Jeff Suzuki and Ed Wang
Introduction
This game evolved out of a discussion between the two authors over a new game mechanic.
Equipment and Setup
Two 52-card decks. Something on which to keep score. Markers (maybe).
Begin by shuffling all cards together. Deal 2 cards face down to each player, then 1 card per player, face-up, into a central area (the "pool").
Basic Rules
Each player has a hand, a strand, and a bin. In addition, there is the pool and the face-down draw pile.
The hand should be self-explanatory; you may have up to 5 cards in your hand. Any extra cards you have in your hand at the end of your turn must be discarded one at a time into the pool, which consists of the face-up discards and other detritus formed during the course of play (see below). The cards in your hand may be put in any order you want, at any time you want.
Each player builds a strand as they go along. Only the suits matter (spades, diamonds, clubs, hearts). The strand has a beginning ("head") and end ("tail"); you may only add cards to the tail, and in general, you may not rearrange the order of the cards in your strand once they are placed. Thus, add cards to your strand carefully! To avoid confusion, it is suggested that you partially overlap the cards in your strand as they are played, so that the last card played is completely visible while the older cards are partially obscured. You may not conceal your strand.
The goal of the game is to fill your bin with sequences of 3, 4, 5, or 6 cards. Only sequences stored in your bin count towards your point total. The sequences must come from either your strand or the pool. The first sequence of a given length you put into your bin sets the sequences you may put of that length. For example, if the first 3-card sequence you put into your bin is Spades-Clubs-Hearts (S-C-H), then all 3-card sequences you place there must be S-C-H. Note that H-C-S is a different sequence than S-C-H.
In addition, the bin sequences have the following restrictions:
The 3- and 4-cards sequences must not contain repeat suits.
No sequence may contain a sequence contained in any other sequence of that player. For example, if your 3-card sequence is S-C-H, no other sequences may contain S-C or C-H. A sequence may overlap itself: a legal 5-card sequence is C-S-C-S-H (as long as no other sequences contain C-S, S-C, or S-H). One player's sequence may overlap another player's sequence.
You must build the sequences in order: you cannot lay down a 4-card sequence until you have put down your 3-card sequence, and so on.
A 3-card sequence is worth 1 point; a 4-card sequence is worth 2 points; a 5-card sequence is worth 4 points; and a 6-card sequence is worth 8 points. If you want a more complex game, a 7-card bin sequence would be worth 16 points, and so on; for a simpler game, reduce the maximum length of a bin sequence.
You may not conceal your sequences.
Each player's turn consists of three phases. First, you may take any sequences in the pool that match an existing sequence in your bin. You must already have the sequence in your bin; you may not use a pool sequence as the first bin sequence of a given type.
Next, you may play any number of cards from your hand or strand. If you play a card from your strand, however, all cards after (tailwards) of the card you play are put into the pool, maintaining their order. For example, if your strand (from beginning to end) is S-D-H-D-C-C and you wish to use the H, the D-C-C part of your strand is added to the pool as a 3-card strand. The sequence is put into the pool immediately, before anything else occurs.
You may add a card from your hand onto the end of your own strand, the strand of any other player, or any strand in the pool. In addition, cards of each suit have a special property that can be used instead of adding it to an existing strand:
Diamonds can be played on your own or another player's sequence to cut up to 6 cards off the end, which go into the pool as a group in order. Exception: If you cut the cards off your own strand, and the cards form a bin sequence, take them into your bin. For example, a player's strand (from the beginning) is D-D-S-C-S-D. You play a diamond and sever the C-S-D sequence, which enters the pool as the three card sequence C-S-D. Note: the sequence maintains its "beginning" and "end," so if another player adds it using a Heart (see next item), they must maintain the original orientation and attach the C to the end of their strand.
Hearts can be played to join a card or group of cards from the pool to your own strand, another player's strand, or to another set of cards in the pool. You may not reorder the cards; the cards are joined to the end of the strand.
Spades can be played to "splice" your strand or that of another player. This is done by designating any number of cards in the strand; these cards are returned to the pool (in sequence). Exception: If you cut the cards off your own strand, and the cards form a bin sequence, take them into your bin. The strand is rejoined, minus the excised cards. For example, if your strand is C-S-D-H-C-D-D, you can play a spade, remove the D-H-C-D sequence, and join the two ends to form a C-S-D sequence.
Clubs can be played to draw a sequence from the pool into your hand or into your bin (you do not need to play a club to pick up any free sequences in the pool at the beginning of your turn; the club is specifically used to pick up sequences that enter the pool during your turn, say after you play a diamond or spade against another player's strand). If you draw the sequence into your hand, your turn ends: you do not draw again. If you draw the sequence into your bin, your turn continues.
Immediately after you play a card, you may be blocked. In general, a card of one color is blocked by a card of the same color but different suit: thus a diamond is blocked by a heart (and vice versa). Who can block a play is determined by who is affected by the play:
If you play a card against another player's strand, that player can block. Both cards are put into the pool.
If you use a card on sequences in the pool, any player can block. Both cards are put into the pool.
If you play a card on your own strand, you cannot be blocked.
The blocking card may come from a player's hand, or their strand; if it comes from a player's strand, the remainder of that strand is lost to the pool as above. A block simply neutralizes the effects of the card. It does not affect the player's ability to continue their turn (though the cards are lost to the pool). For example, if you play a diamond to cut someone's sequence and they block with a heart, you can try to cut their sequence again if you have another diamond. If a club is blocked by a spade, the player who put down the club can continue their turn normally.
After a player has played all the cards they choose to or are able to, they draw one card from the deck and put it in their hand. (Exception: If a player has drawn cards from the pool because they played a club, they do not draw) Alternatively, if there are any single cards in the pool, they may take one of them. You may not draw a pool sequence consisting of 2 or more cards (unless you play a club). Discard any excess cards (you can have no more than 5 cards in your hand); play passes to the next player.
When there are no more cards, no one gets to draw. However, play may continue normally until it is determined that no one can create any more sequences. At this point, everyone's points are totaled. The winner is the player with the most points.
