Marracash

Published by Kosmos
Designed by Stefan Dorra
Translated by ??

Editor's Note: There is a better translation of this game available. If I have the time to scan it in or some poor soul takes pity on us and submits an electronic copy of said translation, I will post it here. - ken

See also the PostScript version of the reference cards.

Object

To have the most money at the end of the game.

Preparation

Take the 24 store-shields out of the box. Give one of the 4 Game Overview cards to each player.

Place three different color visitors on each of the dark blue entry fountains. Then, all players randomly distribute the game pieces (visitors) on the spaces outside the city walls. Make sure that 3 or more pieces of the same color are not positioned consecutively.

Give each player $1200 (1 x $500, 2 x $200, 2 x $100, 4 x $25).

The cards are not used in the basic game. See the Rules supplement to use the cards.

Each player chooses a player name and takes all the pieces with that name.

Play

In the first round of play, each player places the blue auction stone on a shop and auctions that shop. The minimum bid is $100. The auctioneer gets a commission taken from this sum as follows:

Purchase Price Commission
Up to $500 $100
$525 and above $200

If the auctioneer wins the bid he receives no commission.

On remaining rounds of play a player performs two actions per turn. Actions are as follows:

Move a group of visitors from one fountain to an adjacent fountain. An adjacent fountain is one that can be reached without crossing another fountain. Visitors that pass entrances to owned shops of the same color move into the shop. The shop owner receives:

Visitor Payment
1 $100
2 $200
3 $300
4 $400
5 $500
6+ $500

The shop owner must pay a commission to the player who moved the visitors as follows: (No commission is payable if the shop owner moved the visitors)

$50 for amounts to $300
$100 for amounts over $300

If an entry fountain is left vacant a new group of 2, 3 or 4 visitors must be moved from outside the wall from either end of the line of visitors.

Auction Stores Last

NOTE: IF A STORE IS AUCTIONED AND VISITORS MOVED ON THE SAME TURN THE VISITORS MUST BE MOVED FIRST.

End of Game

When no more visitors (or one visitor) remain outside the city walls, beginning with the next player, the last round is played. The player with the most cash at the end of the game wins.

The Game Cabinet - editor@gamecabinet.com - Ken Tidwell