Yucata - Rules - Claim It

Claim It

If you are reading these rules for the first time, ignore the text along the right hand side. These rules serve as a summary to help you quickly familiarize yourself with the game.

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The time: 1855. The place: The American West.

You are a miner staking your claim and defending your territory from would-be claim jumpers and squatters. Claim all you can, but don’t push your luck too far or you may end up busted! Can you build the largest mine and make your fortune in the wild frontier?

Game Components

game board

120

player markers in five colors

Claim markers (black)

Squatter markers (white with black numbers)

dice

Rule book

Setting up

Place the board in the center of the table. Place the white markers labeled 1 through 6 next to the board, and the black markers nearby. Each player chooses a color and takes all the player markers of that color. Roll the dice to determine the first player.

Playing the Game

Players may keep rolling dice and claiming spaces. When they stop, "Squatter" markers are replaced with markers of their own color. If they keep rolling and roll a combination they can not use, they "bust". The player with the largest connected group of spaces wins.

Players will claim spaces on the board by rolling three dice. You may keep rolling and claiming more spaces, or you may stop at any time. When you stop, you replace all the white “Squatter” markers with markers of your own color. If you keep rolling, you risk losing what you gained this turn. If you roll a combination of numbers that you can not use, you “bust” and all the spaces that you claimed this turn are lost. When the game ends, the player with the largest connected group of spaces wins.

Rolling and Placing a Marker

You must assign one die to a column, one to a row, and the third to either a Squatter marker (white) or Claim marker (black).

If the space where you wish to place is empty, you must place a squatter marker (white) on it. The number on the squatter marker must match the number on the third die. If the squatter marker with that number is not available, then you may not place a marker on that space.

If the space has a marker of an opponent’s color but no black claim marker on it, place the white Squatter marker on top of the opponent’s marker.

If the space has a marker of your color or a squatter marker (white) on it, but no claim marker (black), then you place a claim marker on top of it. In this case the number of the third die does not matter .

If the space has a claim marker (black) on it, then you may not place a marker on this space.

On your turn, roll the three dice. You must assign one die to a column, one to a row, and the third to either a Squatter marker (white) or Claim marker (black). The row and column numbers are repeated on the board spaces to make the space easy to find. For each roll of the three dice you will place one and only one marker (white or black) on the board.

If the space where you wish to place is empty, you must place a squatter marker (white) on it. The number on the squatter marker must match the number on the third die. (The die that was not used for the row or column.) If the squatter marker with that number is not available because you have already placed it on the board, then you may not place a marker on that space.

If the space where you wish to place has a marker of an opponent’s color on it, but no claim marker (black), then you should treat it as a blank space. Place the white Squatter marker on top of the opponent’s marker.

If the space where you wish to place has a marker of your color on it, but no claim marker (black), then you place a claim marker on top of it. If the space where you wish to place has a squatter marker (white), then you place a claim marker on top of the squatter. When placing claim markers (black), it does not matter what the number on the third die is.

If the space where you wish to place has a claim marker (black) on it, either on top of or beneath another piece, then you may not place a marker on this space.

Note that until you decide to end your turn, no player markers in your color are placed, and no markers are removed. White and black markers may sit on top of the player markers.

“Busting”

If you roll the dice and cannot place a marker on any of the possible row/column combinations given by your dice, then you have “busted” and your turn is over. You must remove all black (claim) markers that are stacked on top of other markers. Then remove all white (squatter) markers from the board. Pass the dice to the next player.

Decide: Take Spaces or Roll Again

If you did not “bust” on your roll, you may choose to roll again, or else end your turn. As long as you don’t “bust”, you may keep rolling as many times as you want.

If you decide to stop, any stack that is topped by a black claim marker should be replaced by a marker of your color on top of a black claim marker. These spaces permanently belong to you. Any space which contains a white squatter marker is now cleared. Place a marker of your color in this space. If the space had another player’s marker on it, give it back to them. Your turn is over.

If you did not “bust” on your roll, you may choose to roll again, or else end your turn and take the spaces you marked this turn. If you roll again, you risk “busting” and losing all the spaces you have earned this turn. As long as you don’t “bust”, you may keep rolling as many times as you want. Your turn only ends when you “bust”, or when you decide to stop and take your spaces.

If you decide to stop, any stack that is topped by a black claim marker should be replaced by a marker of your color on top of a black claim marker. (You have staked your claim to this space.) These spaces permanently belong to you. Any space which contains a white squatter marker is now cleared. Place a marker of your color in this space. If the space had another player’s marker on it, give it back to them. Your turn is over. Pass the dice to the next player.

End of the Game

Last Round:

As soon as one player has the minimum number of claimed spaces (marked with a black marker) on the board, there will be one more round of turns before the game ends. The number of claimed spaces required is listed on the board.

NOTE: The claimed spaces do not have to be connected. Each player has one more turn, including the player who called last round.

The player with the single largest connected group of territories wins. Both settled spaces (without black markers) and claimed spaces (with black markers) count as yours.

If players are tied, the player with the most black (claim) markers on the board wins. If that is tied also, the player with the most total spaces on the board wins.

As soon as one player has a specific minimum number of claimed spaces (marked with a black marker) on the board, there will be one more round of turns before the game ends. The number of claimed spaces required is listed on the board.

5 players = 6 claimed spaces
4 players = 7 claimed spaces
3 players = 9 claimed spaces
2 players = 13 claimed spaces

NOTE: The claimed spaces do not have to be connected. When a player meets the last round condition at the end of his turn, this player calls, “Last round!” Each player then has one more turn, including the player who called last round.

The player with the single largest connected group of territories (horizontally or vertically, but not diagonally) wins. Note that both settled spaces (without black markers) and claimed spaces (with black markers) count as yours.

If players are tied, the player with the most black (claim) markers on the board wins. (Total number: They do not need to be connected.) If that is tied also, the player with the most total spaces on the board wins.

Rule Variation

The following rule change may be used if you want to have longer turns with more spaces claimed. It is not recommended for a five player game.

When you place a black Claim marker on top of a white Squatter marker, remove the Squatter marker from the board. It may now be used again.

Short and sweet

on turn, current dice: →

? = empty →

? = / →

? = /// →

? = →

Hints for handling

If you prefer the player markers without symbols on them, just uncheck the appropriate checkbox in the settings (will be stored per browser).

To select a space to place a marker just click on the numbers shown on the left and lower side of the game board. If a die with that value is available, the respective row and column will be selected.
To undo a selection just click on the small red cross in the lower left corner of the game board.

If you choose to play with option 'Light', you don't have to bother assigning the dice. You will automatically see all possible combinations.

Clicking on someone's player info will show a black border for all spaces currently controlled by that player. Clicking once again deletes those borders.

The numbers given in the player info reflect the state at the very beginning of one's turn. The achievements of the current turn are not included, they might be gone anyway...

If the game is in its last round, the player who will make the last turn is marked with a red exclamation mark.