Rufstock

Rufstock is a climbing-style card game of rock ‘n’ roll dogs racing to board two buses on their way to the festival. Players receive a fixed hand of cards that cannot be rearranged, forcing them to work with sequences exactly as dealt. On their turn, they may play a combination of up to 4 cards into one of the two buses: either a Set (matching numbers) or a Sequence (consecutive numbers). Each bus has its own rule: the Kombi favors lower values, while the Bus favors higher values. However, any larger combination of cards always beats a smaller one. The previous combination is cleared and replaced when a stronger play is made, and the “boarding pass” marker shifts to the successful player. If no one can top the current combinations, both buses depart for Rufstock and reset for the next round. Players may also “pass” to draw from or adjust their hand, keeping future options alive. The first player to empty their hand scores 4 points, with following players earning 1 less each in order of finishing. After two rounds, the dog with the highest total score wins the ride to Rufstock glory. —description from the publisher