Here's how to play the board game Patchwork, a quintessential 2 player game about quilts.
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Read the Rules
The aim of the game:
The aim of patchwork is to collect the most buttons, while stitching together as much of your quilt board as possible.
To setup:
- Each player takes a gridded board and 5 buttons.
- Place the remaining buttons in a pile nearby
- Put the time board in the centre of the table (choose either side).
- Place the regular patches in a circle around the time board.
- Place your time token on the start of the time board.
- Place the neutral token between the smallest patch (1x2) and the next patch in clockwise order.
- Layout the special tile nearby.
- Place the special patches on the spaces marked on the time board.
The player who used a needle most recently begins.
To play the game:
In patchwork, the player whose time token is the furthest behind takes a turn.
If you are still the furthest behind after taking a turn, you can take another one, and so on until a new player is at the back.
If two tokens are on the same space, the one on top goes first.
On your turn you can either:
- Move along the time board and gain buttons OR
- Take and place a patch on your quilt.
To move:
Simply pick your time token up and move it to the spot directly in front of your opponent. You gain 1 button per space you moved.
To take a patch from the circle:
- Choose one of the 3 patches in front of the neutral token, in a clockwise direction.
- Place the neutral token next to the desired patch and pay the number of buttons depicted on the patch.
- You can then place this patch onto your quilt board.
When placing a patch:
- You can rotate your patch any way you like, as long as it fits on the grid.
- You cannot overlap any patches.
- You cannot move patches on your quilt once placed.
Finally, move your time token along the board, by the number depicted on the tile.
If it lands on the same space as an opponent, put it on top.
When moving:
Every time you pass a button icon on the time board, receive the total number of buttons depicted on your quilt board, across all your patches.
If you land on a special patch, take it and place it onto your quilt - these are the only ones that will cover a single square.
Scoring and winning the game:
The first player who completely fills a 7x7 square on their quilt receives the special tile, worth 7 points.
The game ends when both player’s time tokens reach the end of track.
If a time token would move past the last space, it stops on the last space and you only receive buttons for the number spaces moved to the end.
Total up all of your buttons, including the special tile if you have it and subtract 2 points for each empty space on your quilt board to get your final score.
The player with the most points wins!
If it’s a draw, the one who reached the end of the time board first wins the game.
That’s patchwork, a classic about fabrics for 2 players.
Who knew quilting could be made fun?
Enjoy!
Like the sound of this?
Pick up a copy of Patchwork from the Happy Piranhas store!