How to play Ginnykub

Learn the rules to the board game Ginnykub quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.Show more

Don't own the game? Buy it here:
https://buy.triplesgames.com/ginnykub

RULES:
The object of the game is to score the most points. Each set of tiles represents a full deck of cards plus two jokers. For 2 players, use only 1 set. For 3 or 4 players, use both sets of tiles. Lay out the board. Place all the tiles face-down in the lid of the box and mix them up. Each player draws 7 tiles and places them on their rack.

Pick a player to go first, then turns proceed clockwise. On your turn, draw 1 tile from the box and add it to your rack. If you cannot play, then return 1 or more of your tiles face-down to the box, then mix them up, then draw until you have 7. Your turn is over, and the next player goes.

If you can make a play to the board, then you play down the tiles. You are allowed to play melds and runs. A meld is 3 or 4 tiles of the same number but in different suits. A run is 3 or more tiles of the same suit but in ascending or descending order. Aces may be played either high or low. Jokers are wilds and may represents any card in the deck; once played, the card they represent may not be changed.

The first play of the game must be played to the center red start square. Once the first play is made, all subsequent plays must be made in crossword fashion by incorporating at least one tile of an existing meld or run into your play. Plays may be made horizontally or vertically but not diagonally. You can add to an existing meld or run started by any player; form a new meld or run; or open a new sequence on a red start square. You may make as many plays as you want in any single start section in a turn, but you may not make plays to multiple sections in a single turn. Sections may not cover other red start spaces, nor may sections join together.

After you play down tiles, you draw tiles to your rack until you get back up to 7 tiles, and you score points. To score points, each tile 2-9 is worth its face value. 10, jack, queen, king are each worth 10 points. Ace is worth 1 point when used in a run and 15 points when used in a meld. Jokers are worth 0 points. Add up all the tiles in the meld or run that, including tiles already on the board, and record your score on a paper. If you covered a bonus square, apply the bonus.

Yellow: doubles the value of any single tile on it while green triples it. Red doubles the value of the meld or run and blue triples it. You must place a new meld or run in order to get the red or blue bonus for the play. You may only score bonuses on the turn you cover the bonus square and not later when you add to one previously covered. If multiple bonuses are covered in the same turn, then they are both counted or multiplied.

Once the lid runs out of tiles, players continue playing without drawing until no more plays can be made. Then points are subtracted from players scores for remaining tiles. Aces count as 15. Then the player with the most points, wins.