Age: 8+
Players: 2-4
Difficulty: 7/10
Duration: 20-40 mins
Draw 7 random tiles from the pouch and 1 blank "Joker" tile. Hide them from the other player. The color of the tiles you have does not matter.
Use a 5x5 grid with the GEMJI Board Map, or draw your own.
The player with the most 4-stroke tiles starts first. If there are no 4s, then the number of 3s is compared, and so on.
The first player places one even tile on the empty grid. The second player places one odd tile connected to it so that it matches in the stroke pattern (that is, strokes of the tiles connect to strokes and blank sides to blank sides). They take turns filling up the 5x5 board.
The first player uses only even tiles until a Switch happens. This is a special move that switches between even and odds tiles for the players (described down). The Second player uses only odd tiles until a Switch happens.
Each player can make one move per turn. There are 3 move options:
1. Placing an odd or even tile: Each player is assigned to one type of tile during the game - odd or even.
2. Drawing a tile from the Pouch: When the player is out of the assigned type of tiles he/she has to either draw 1 tile from the Pouch (and end the turn) or place a Joker and make a Switch.
3. Making a Switch: The players can switch between tile types (even starts playing odd and vice-versa) in two ways. One is by using a Joker tile, which can be placed anywhere as long as its sides fit the pattern. The other is by completing a row of 5 tiles (horizontally or vertically). The player who places the 5th tile makes the Switch. The next player proceeds with the new type of tiles assigned to them after the Switch.
DO connect all tiles.
DO match the sides of the adjacent tiles.
DON’T place a disconnected tile.
DON’T place a tile in a way that does not match the pattern.
There are 2 possible ends of the GEMJI Roots game:
If a player successfully places all of their tiles on the table, they win. The Joker tile may remain unused.
If the board (5x5 squares) is filled with tiles, then the one who has fewer tiles left wins. All tiles are counted except for the Jokers.
Don’t wait to use the Joker too long - you might not be able to fit it in the pattern later.
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