Push Rules

Ages 8+ 2-6 Players

Game by Prospero Hall

INSTRUCTIONS

Contents: 120 Cards, 1 Die, Instructions

OBJECT

Have the most points on all your cards when the deck runs out.

SETUP

Shuffle the cards, place them in a deck face down in the center of the table, and choose a player to go first.

ON YOUR TURN

You will play cards from the deck for as long as you want until you choose to stop or you push too far. Play then passes to the left. Other players may suggest where you should play a card or when to stop, but you decide how to play and how far to push!

PLAYING CARDS

Draw cards from the deck, one at a time, and play them face up into stacks in the middle of the table:

• You cannot play a card to a stack if ANY card in that stack is the same number OR the same color.

• Offset the cards as you play them so the numbers and colors of all cards are visible.

• You cannot make more than three stacks, but you may have fewer. You may add cards to just one or two stacks and never start the other stacks.

• Roll cards (explained on other side) are played to stacks, but they may not be played to a stack that already has a Roll card.

• Switch cards (explained later) are NOT played to stacks. When drawn, they are played next to the discard pile until the end of the turn. You may continue by drawing another card, or you may choose to stop.

STRATEGY

Each card is worth the number on it, so in addition to collecting more cards, try to collect higher numbers!

STOPPING OR PUSHING

At any time after playing a card, you may choose to stop:

• When you stop, you MUST choose one stack to collect.

• When you collect a stack, place the cards in your Bench. Cards in your Bench are face up in front of you, arranged by color, and offset so they all can be seen.

• Each other player MUST choose one stack to collect until all stacks have been collected. Stacks are collected clockwise, starting with the player on your left, unless a Switch card was drawn (see SWITCH CARDS). If there are any stacks remaining when it gets back to you, those remaining stacks are discarded. Now it’s the next player’s turn.

If you draw a card you cannot play, you’ve pushed too far: • Discard the card you just drew.

• Roll the die and discard all cards from your Bench that match the color rolled. (Banked cards are safe, see BANKING CARDS.) If you roll , you are safe. Don’t discard any cards.

• You do NOT collect a stack, but the other players MUST collect stacks. If there are any stacks remaining when it gets back to you, those remaining stacks are discarded. Now it’s the next player’s turn.

SWITCH CARDS

Switch cards change the direction that stacks are collected at the end of a turn. If one Switch card was drawn during the turn, players collect stacks counter-clockwise, starting with the player on your right. If two Switch cards were drawn, it switches to clockwise, and so on. Once all stacks have been collected or discarded, discard all Switch cards drawn that turn. Play passes to the left. (Switch cards do NOT affect direction of play, only the direction that stacks are collected.) For a 2-Player Game: You may remove the Switch cards before playing, or just discard them as you go, since they have no effect.

ROLL CARDS

If you collect a stack that contains a Roll card, whether on your turn or on another player’s turn, collect the other cards in the stack as normal. Then, roll the die and discard all cards from your Bench that match the color rolled, including any cards you just collected. (Banked cards are safe, see BANKING CARDS.) If you roll a star(FOR sign), you are safe. Don’t discard any cards. After rolling the die, discard the Roll card.

BANKING CARDS

You may give up your turn of playing cards and instead Bank one color of cards to protect them for the rest of the game. Take all the cards of one color from your Bench and put them in your Banked pile face down. These cards are safe from all die rolls, whether from pushing too far or collecting a Roll card. You may continue collecting cards of a Banked color on later turns, but new cards you collect remain face up in your Bench until you Bank that color again.

ENDING OF THE GAME

The game ends when the deck runs out and the final stacks are collected or discarded.

SCORING

Players add up the numbers on all the cards in their Bench AND their Banked pile. The player with the highest total wins!

VARIANT

For a Riskier Game:

If you roll star(FOR), whether from pushing too far or collecting a Roll card, discard ALL cards from your Bench that haven’t been Banked. Bank your cards to protect them from this dangerous roll!

Game by Prospero Hall