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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:
Setup the Game:
Marbles may be played with 2 to 6 players. It can be played individually, or in teams of two or three. Each player gets four marbles placed in their base, and one dice. Roll your dice, the highest roll plays first. Play follows a clockwise pattern.
Starting a Marble:
Move a marble from your base to your starter hole by rolling a 1 or 6. Once a marble has been started, it may be moved clockwise around the board corresponding to the amount you roll on the dice. You may have as many marbles in play as you like, but you may never pass your own marbles by jumping over them or on them, nor can you start a marble if you already have a marble in the starter hole. You can pass your own marbles if you enter the fast track or centre holes with one marble and another is on the outer track.
Rolling 6s: If you roll a 6 you get to roll again, but be careful. If you roll three 6s in a row, the last marble your moved gets bumped back to your base. If the last marble you touched has been advanced into the home, you must forfeit your most advanced marble in play. If you have no other marbles in play, the roll is forfeited. If you forget to roll your additional roll before the next player rolls, you forfeit the extra roll, the next player does not have to remind you, but the must permit you time to roll.
Home: You may enter into any of your “home” holes by exact count on the dice. You cannot jump over a marble in the home. The marbles must be advanced by exact rolls on the dice.
Killing: You may jump over or land on your opponent at anytime (even if they are in their starter hole). If you land on them by exact count on the dice, they are bumped back to their bas position.
The Fast Track: The 5th hole on the paths marked with a circle around them. Enter the “Fast Track” by rolling the exact number to advance into one of these holes. On your next turn, you may move clockwise around the fast track holes, hoping your way around the board. You may enter or exit the fast track at any fast track hole around the board. Most of the time, you will stay on the fast track until you get to the last “fast track” hole before your home. However, as a defensive move, you may want to exit the fast track to to bump your opponents marble. Be careful in the fast track, as it gets pretty hectic and you often become a target to be bumped back to your base.
The Center Hole: Just like the fast track, you may enter into the centre hole with an exact roll coming from the direction of any of the fast track holes. Example: You are in your starter hole and roll a 6, you can either move your way around the board, or you can move into the center hole. You may only leave the center hole by rolling a 1 on a subsequent roll. You may exit the center hole to any of the fast track holes, likely the one that is closest to your home. You may get bumped in the center if your opponent enters while you occupy it.
Special Rules for Team Play: Play opposite of your partner. You my jump over your partner’s marbles, but it is not possible to bump them. If you roll a number that would land on your partner, that roll is forfeited. If you finish all your marbles into your home, you may then continue to play on your partners marbles and help them finish.
Forfeiting a Roll: You may only forfeit a roll if you have no possible moves. If you can move a marble, you must move it.
Winning the Game: Finish your marbles and your partner’s marbles before your opponents finish theirs.
