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This self-billed exciting game of strategy is simple to learn and can be played with a somewhat wide range of players. And the good news is, the Sequence board game rules are simple.
Sequence uses a standard deck of playing cards and some small poker chips along with a unique game board.
If you need to know how to play, you’ve come to the right place.
Yes. In fact, you can play with any number of players from two to 12 that is divisible by two or three. This means you can’t play with five, seven, or 11 players.
Why? Basically, the game is played in teams. There can be two or three teams, which is why you have three colors of chips (blue chips, green chips and red chips).
The game offers fewer red marker chips, so if you only have two teams, you will play with blue and green.
In a game with two players, each person will start out with seven cards (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
What are the rules of the game Sequence? An overview
The game rules are fairly simple.
On a player’s turn, they will select a card from their hand and discard it face up. They will then place one of their marker chips on the corresponding card image on the game board.
The object of the game is to try to get a Sequence, or a series of five in a row marked by the same color of marker chips.
It’s kind of like Bingo. With cards and chips. And we call it Sequence.
A Sequence can be in a straight line, either up and down, across or diagonal.
Ready to start?
Game set up
Set out the game board on a flat playing surface and determine your teams.
Teams must be evenly divided into two or three teams, in alternating physical positions around the board.
The rules state that players cut cards and the lowest card deals. Note that aces are high.
Your number of players will also determine the required amount of Sequences needed to win.
In games with two players or two teams, you must get two Sequences before your opponent to win.
In games with three players or three teams, the first team to get one Sequence wins.
The cards in the deck have corresponding spaces on the game board (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
How many cards do you start with in Sequence?
Your starting hand(s) will depend on the number of players.
The player to the left of the dealer will go first. Then, the play proceeds in a clockwise direction.
On their turn, a player will strategically choose a place on the board that corresponds to a card in their hand.
They will then discard that card, face up, in their own discard pile. Then, they will play a chip on the board that matches their discarded card.
Each card is pictured twice on the game board.
After you have placed your marker chip, you can take a new card from the draw deck.
If you forget to do so, you forfeit your right to draw a new card and must finish the game with less cards than other players.
Once a chip has been played, it cannot be removed, except when a one-eyed Jack is used. (See below).
When the draw deck is empty, all discard piles are shuffled together to create a new draw deck.
If your game requires more than one Sequence to win, you may use any one of the spaces from your first Sequence as part of your second Sequence.
Remember, the corners act as a free space. More than one player may use the same corner as part of a Sequence.
You may also use your chips to block an opponent’s Sequence (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
The Jacks
A Jack card is very important in the game of Sequence. Jacks have special rules and work as wild cards.
Two-eyed Jacks are wild. If you are playing a wild Jack, you can place your chip on any unoccupied space on the board.
A one-eyed Jack is considered anti-wild. To play it, discard the Jack and remove one marker chip from the game board that belongs to an opponent. This action completes your turn. Meaning, you cannot place another marker chip during this turn.
Note that once a Sequence has been achieved by a player to team, it cannot be broken.
What if I have a card I can’t use?
While playing Sequence, you may notice that you have a card that you can’t play because the spaces are filled. You may discard that card and take a replacement card.
You can only do this once per turn.
Then, you can proceed to play your normal turn.
Can you talk while playing Sequence?
No. Table talk is discouraged in this game. Players are not meant to coach their fellow team members.
In fact, the rules state that if you say something you shouldn’t, each player on your team loses a card and will finish the game with the disadvantage of having fewer cards to play. Ouch.
Joker cards may come with the game, but they are not used in the game (photo by BoardGameChick.com)
Do you use the Jokers in the game Sequence?
Even though your game may come with Jokers, they have no purpose in the game.
Is Sequence a good game?
Finally, we end with a little game review. Is it my favorite game? Not necessarily, but it’s not bad. It’s fairly simple to learn and considered a great game by many board game fans.
The game is also easy to pick up for most players, and still involves a healthy amount of strategy and wit to play it.
Are there better games out there? Sure. But if you like a card game and board game hybrid that requires some strategy and can accommodate most players, it may just be for you.
That is, of course, unless your crew regularly consists of five or seven people.
Have you played Sequence? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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