A Decktet tableau-building game where the grid gets built as you go. Each play scores points (sometimes negative points). A game consists of as many rounds as there are players. Highest accumulated score wins.
A Decktet tableau-building game where the grid is built as you play. Each play scores points (sometimes negative). A match is as many rounds as there are players. Highest accumulated score wins.
Inventor: Chris DeLeo
See Decktet wiki: Quincunx and BoardGameGeek. Uses the Decktet.
Play one round per player (two rounds with two players, three with three). Highest total score after the last round wins. Tied totals share the win.
2 or 3 players. Basic Decktet (Aces through Crowns). Each round the tableau grows from a seed until 25 cards are on the board (a 5×5 diamond of relative coordinates). Hands are dealt from the shuffled deck.
On your turn, play one card from your hand onto a legal empty neighbour of the existing tableau (the first card of a round starts the grid). Score immediately from that placement, then draw if the deck allows.
When the tableau has 25 cards, players pass to end the round. Unplayed hand cards may apply the Excuse exception if that variant is on. Scores accumulate; a new round begins until every player has started a round.
For each orthogonally adjacent card, add the two ranks (Ace = 1, numbered 2–9, Crown = 10):
Pairs: +5 for each orthogonally adjacent card of the same rank, unless that pair is also part of a set.
Sets: +30 for each line (orthogonal or diagonal) of three or more cards of the same rank that includes the card just played.
Straights: +20 for each line (including diagonal) of three or more cards in consecutive rank order that includes the card just played.
Power play: If you play an Ace or Crown orthogonally next to the matching Ace or Crown, score the sum of ranks of all other tableau cards that share that suit.
Adds the Excuse. It scores no basic points, does not participate in straights, and does not penalise an unplayed hand at round end (excuse).
If the card creates or extends a continuous line (including diagonal) of four or more cards sharing a suit, or a 2×2 of one suit, score 10 per such line or square (flush).
20250518 (2025-05-18). On Abstract Play since 2025-06-01.