TIC-TAC-TICS

INTRODUCTION
Abstract Game for 2 Players. 
Tac-tac-toe variant with a regular deck of cards and played on 3 Boards. 

THE BOARDS
There are 3 boards. 
Each board is a 3 x 3 grid. 
Each space (square) on each board is numbered. 
The Spaces on a board are numbered 1 through 9. 
Each player gets 1 Home Board. 
The third board which is placed between the players is called the Mid Board. 

PIECES
Each player gets a set of unique pieces: X’s and O’s. 
These can be tokens, chips, counters, stones, coins, whatever. 
Each player has a set of 9 pieces. 

THE DECK
Use a regular deck of cards. 
Each numbered card corresponds to same numbered spaces on the boards
Aces always have a value of 1. 
Numbered cards (1-9) are also called Meld cards. 
Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings produce special effects.  
Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are also called Special cards. 

VICTORY
To achieve victory, you must get two simultaneous three-in-a- rows (TIARS). 
TIARS cannot be on your Home Board. 
You could have both TIARS on your opponents board or the Mid board, or 
1 TIAR each on the Mid board and your opponent’s board.
If both TIARS are on the same board, they may share a space.  

SETUP
Each player places his 9 pieces on the 9 squares of his Home board.
The Mid Board is empty.  
Players cut the deck. High cut goes first. 

TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns. 
Each turn has 3 phases: 
Draw Phase
Play Phase
End Phase

DRAW PHASE
Draw 1 card from the deck and put it in your hand. 
If the deck runs out, shuffle the deck and draw from it. 

PLAY PHASE
You may do one of 3 things: 
1. Draw an extra card
2. Play 1 Meld
3. Play 1 Special Card

PLAYING MELDS
To play a Meld discard 2 Numbered (Meld) cards. 
This causes 1 of 2 effects: 
1. Transfer 1 piece (it must be your own)
2. Switch places of 2 pieces (at least 1 must be yours)
In a Transfer, one of the cards must correspond to the location of the 
Piece you want to move. The other card must correspond to the 
Number of the empty space you want to move it to. The piece can be 
Moved on the same board or to either of the other 2 boards. 
In a Switch, you switch places of 2 pieces. The cards must 
Correspond to the numbers of the spaces the pieces are on. 
In a Switch, the pieces can be on the same or different boards. 

SPECIAL CARDS
Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings are Special cards. 
These have 1 or more special effects. 

TENS
You can use a Ten as a Meld card with a value equal to the other card in the Meld. 
(Example: Playing a 5 and a 10 would be like playing two 5’s)
Discard a Ten card to negate a Special card just played by an opponent. 

JACKS
Discard a Jack to look at your opponent’s hand and steal one card. 
Discard a Jack to transfer on of your pieces: Move it like it was a 
Knight in Chess: It must remain on the same Board. 

QUEENS
Discard a Queen to play 2 Melds this turn. 
Discard a Queen to switch places of 2 pieces that are on opposite corners of the same board.

KINGS
Discard a King to move any of your pieces to any empty space on your Home Board. 
Discard a King to move one of your pieces to an adjacent empty space on the same Board. 

END PHASE
Max hand size is 7 cards. 
Discard excess cards.

OPTIONAL RULES & VARIANTS

RED & BLACK RULE
The red Meld cards can only be used for the Mid Board. 
Black Meld cards can only be used for Home Boards. 

 

LINKS
Wikipedia