Bedlam Rules

Object of the Game

The object of Bedlam is to be the first player to travel the length of the board AND back to the starting point. Each turn you move by collecting cards with the same picture as the square on which your playing piece sits. There's no individual turns, no politeness just - Bedlam.

There are two levels: MAIN GAME and ADVANCED GAME. The main game uses straight card swapping, whilst the advanced game introduces THE TWIST which makes Bedlam even more addictive.

Preparing to Play

Each player takes a cone and a disc of the same colour. Put your cone ON a Picture Square at the START end of the playing board (one cone per square). Put the disc on the Picture Square at the far end of the same row.

A dealer is chosen by common consent. From the pack the dealer takes the same number of each Picture Card as there are players. There are EIGHT different kinds of Picture Card:-

Clown
Slippers
Palm Tree
Penny Farthing
Bi-plane
Saxophone
Candle
Telephone

For example: For 4 players, the dealer takes 4 of each Picture Card (4x8=32 cards) from the deck and sets the rest aside. The chosen cards are reshuffled and dealt. Each player should receive eight cards.

Playing the Game

The Main Game

Remember the aim of the Main Game is to collect as many cards as possible that match the the Picture Square your cone is on. You collect cards by madly swapping them during each 30 second round.

Play goes as follows:- Overturn the timer. All players immediately start to swap cards with each other. Cards are swapped face down. Players call out the number of cards they want to swap. The number of cards given and received in a swap MUST ALWAYS be the same.

You can swap any mix of cards you like, and as often as you like, until the timer runs out. You don't HAVE TO swap with anyone, and you can stop swapping when you have the best hand you think you can get.

When the timer runs out everybody lays their cards down for all to see. Move your cone forward by the number of cards collected that match the Picture Square your cone is on. If none of your cards match, stay put and try again next turn.

As soon as everyone has moved pick up your cards, overturn the timer and begin another swapping session. You must now get rid of your old cards and collect cards that match your new Picture Square.

When you reach the top of the playing board, "crown" your cone with your disc. This makes it clear that you are on your way back down the board.

The Advanced Game

Like the main game, there is a mad 30 second swapping session each turn. UNLIKE the main gameyou are trying to collect a maximum of 5 cards that match your Picture Square, AND 3-of-a-kind of ANY OTHER card.

What to Collect

You have a total of 8 cards. You are trying to collect, up to 5 Picture Cards plus 3 Bonus Cards (explained below).

Picture Cards - cards that match the Picture Square on which your cone sits.
Bonus Cards - Three-of-a-kind of any OTHER card.

Moving

You move forward by the number of picture cards collected - up to amaximum of five PLUS

If you have 3 BONUS CARDS you win 2 BONUS places which you can use to move yourself forward OR an opponent BACK.

To sum up, you can move a maximum of 7 squares with a perfect hand of - 5 Picture and 3 Bonus cards. In a four player game the top score is 6 (4+2) as there are only four of each picture card.

NOW HERE'S THE TWIST

If, at the end of the turn, you have only 3, 2 or 1 Picture Cards AND 3 Bonus Cards, the Bonus Cards act as a penalty cancelling all your Picture Cards AND moving you BACK 2 PLACES.

The Key to Advanced Bedlam

The key to winning at Bedlam is to keep an eye on the timer. If, near the end of a 30 second swapping session, you have collected three Bonus Cards but only 1-3 Picture Cards, you must make a split second decision - do you try to collect MORE Picture Cards - or do you get rid of some Bonus Cards to avoid the "back two places" penalty? Go for broke or play safe it's YOUR decision!!

TO WIN BOTH GAMES

The first player to "crown" their cone and move back down the board to land on, or pass, their starting point wins.

Summary of moves for all card combinations
P=Picture Card, B=Bonus Card

5P+3B..........................7 or (5 + another player back 2)
4P+3B..........................6 or (4 + another player back 2)
3, 2, 1P + 3B ................2 back
Up to 5P and not 3B.......move by No. of P Cards