OVERVIEW

Welcome to the high-stakes card game where you gamble with diamonds! Palm ice away from other players and attempt to secure your crystals in the safe before they find their way into someone else’s showroom. Play your cards right to pull off the perfect heist!

Diamonds is played over a set number of rounds based on number of players. Rules given below are for the standard 3-6 player game, with special 2-player and team/partnership variations at the bottom.

SETUP

Diamonds ~

Everyone begins the game with 3 diamonds in their “showroom.” Diamonds here are worth 1 point apiece at the end of the game ~ but can be stolen.

Safe ~

Each player has a safe in which to secure their diamonds from theft. Diamonds in the safe are not only protected, they are worth 2 points apiece at the end of the game.

Cards ~

Everyone receives 10 cards dealt from a 60-card deck. The deck consists of 4 suits (diamonds, hearts, spades, clubs) with cards numbered 1-15.

SUIT BENEFITS

Each suit grants a special favor when played under the right conditions:

• • When you can’t follow suit, immediately gain the benefit of the suit you played.

• • When you win the trick, gain the benefit of the suit you led with.

• • At the end of the round, whoever has the majority cards in each suit gains the its suit benefit.

• • At the end of the round, if you won no tricks at all, take the Diamond benefit TWICE.

GAMEPLAY

1. After looking at their cards, the start player decides how many cards players must pass clockwise: 1, 2 or 3.

• All cards go to a single player.

2. The start player leads the trick.

3. Players must follow suit, if possible.

• If unable to follow suit, play any card AND immediately gain its suit benefit.

4. Highest card of the leading suit takes the trick and gains the corresponding suit benefit.

5. Winner leads the next trick.

Continue until all 10 cards have been played, then take end-of-round benefits for each suit.

THIEF

Each round, the Thief token begins in front of the player to the left of the start player. When you gain a ♣ suit benefit, take one diamond from the showroom of the player with the Thief token. Then the token moves to the next player clockwise.

If the player with the Thief token has no diamonds in their showroom, you gain nothing but the token still moves clockwise.

At the end of the round, the Thief token also moves one player clockwise, unless there is a tie for ♣ ~ In that case, the Thief stays where it is.

GAME END

After 4-6 rounds, depending on player count, tally your diamonds: 1 point for showroom diamonds and 2 points for diamonds in the safe. Highest score wins.

Tie: whoever secured the most diamonds in their safe is the winner!

2-PLAYER RULES

Play exactly as above, except that you will play a total of TWO cards each trick. Players take turns playing one card to the table and reaping suit benefits as earned.

EXAMPLE:

1. Carl leads with 4 ♦

2. Stella follows suit, playing 3 ♦

3. Carl doesn’t have anymore diamonds, so he plays 10 ♥

• Because he couldn’t follow suit, he gains the heart suit benefit

4. Stella has more diamond cards, so she must continue to follow the original suit. She plays 8 ♦

• Because diamonds were the leading suit, Stella wins the trick with her 8 ♦ and earns the diamond suit benefit.

4- AND 6-PLAYER TEAM RULES

Diamonds can be enjoyed in 2 or 3 two-player teams with the following rules modifications:

• After the start player decides how many cards to pass, cards are passed between partners instead of to the player clockwise. The start player may not discuss how many cards to pass with their partner.

• Each team shares a single showroom and safe.

• At the end of the round, suit majority is determined by totaling all cards taken by the team.

• A player who takes no tricks during a round still gains the double diamond suit benefit, even if their partner won tricks.