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Object of the game:
Get your four marbles and your partner’s four marbles into their homes before your opponents do.
Zepherin House Rules:
There are many variations to the rules of Tock. Here are the rules that we follow in our home.
4 Player: Play with a partner (2vs2)
6 Player: Play with a partner or on two teams (2 vs 2 vs 2) or (3 vs 3)
Value of the Cards:
Joker: Starter or 15 (4 player game: when a joker is played you get an additional card from the stack that must be played immediately on any of your marbles).
Ace: Starter or 1
King: Starter or 13
Queen: 12
Jack: Switch Card
4: moves a marble backwards 4 spots, you cannot move back into your home.
7: moves a marble forward 7 spots and kills any of your opponents marbles you pass over. This card can be split among multiple marbles.
2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 : moves a marble according to face value.
Game Play:
Dealing: One player shuffles the cards and deals face up to the players. The first player to receive a jack becomes the dealer. The player to the left of the dealer plays first, continue in a clockwise pattern.
4 Player: The dealer passes out five cards in the first hand and four cards in the subsequent hands. There should be two extra cards for the jokers.
6 Player: The dealer passes five cards in the first hand and four cards in the second hand.
Starter: Start a marble with a starter card. If you do not have a starter and you cannot play on your partner, you must discard on your turn.
Starter Hole: If you have a marble in your starter hole, other players cannot pass by until you move your marble. you can not switch any marbles from their starter hole.
Playing on your partner: If you do not have a playable card, you should discard. However, if your partner has a marble in play, you may play on their marble. You can only play on your partner if you cannot move or start your own marbles.
Home: You must finish your card in order to get a marble into the home. You must advance your marbles in your home, you may not pass over a marble in the house. When you have all your marbles in your home, you may play on your partners marbles to help them finish. Tip: Take advantage of a 7 to clean up your home.
Switcher Card: When played, you must switch two marbles. You cannot switch any marbles that are in their starter hole or home. You may switch two marbles of the same colour. If there are no marbles that can be switched, you may discard the switcher card.
Killing Your Opponents: Land directly on your opponent’s marble or pass over them with a 7. You cannot kill your own or your partner’s marbles. If you play a card that would land on you or your partner, it is a discard.
A card laid is a card played, If you move a marble, you cannot change your mind after having released if from your fingers.
