How to Play Downforce

Objective of the Game

Welcome to the thrilling world of *Downforce*! Get ready for high-stakes bidding, frantic racing, and secret bets. In this game, you're not just a driver; you're a high-roller in the fast-paced world of motor racing. Your ultimate goal? To amass the most winnings by the end of the race. This means skillfully bidding on cars, strategically moving them around the track (even your opponents'!), and placing clever bets on who you think will cross the finish line first, second, or third. The margin between victory and defeat can be a single moment, so stay sharp and make your move to pull ahead!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's get those engines revving! Here’s how to set up your *Downforce* race:

1. Place the **Double-Sided Game Board** in the center of the table. Choose either side – each offers a unique track!
2. Take the six **Speed-8 Speed Cards** and the six **Power Cards**. Shuffle each deck separately and place them face down in two distinct piles.
3. Place the six **Driver Plaques** by the side of the board, ready for their owners.
4. Give each player a **Score Sheet** and something to write with (pens/pencils not included, so grab your own!).
5. Shuffle the 42 **Regular Speed Cards** and deal them out equally, face down, to each player.
   • Heads up for 4- and 5-player games: There will be 2 cards left over. Return those to the box, they won't be used this race.
6. Randomly place all six **Race Car Pawns** onto the starting spaces on the board.

You're all set! Time to hit the track.

Playing the Game

A game of *Downforce* unfolds in three exciting parts: The Auction, The Race, and The Betting (which happens during the race). After all the dust settles, players tally their earnings to crown the winner.

The Auction

Before the race even begins, you'll be bidding on those sleek, million-dollar cars!

1. After everyone has had a chance to look at their hand of cards, cars are auctioned off one at a time.
2. To start an auction, flip over the top **Speed-8 card** and the top **Power card** from their respective decks. The car color shown on the Speed-8 card and the power listed on the Power card are now up for bid.
3. To make a bid, each player secretly chooses a card from their hand and places it face down on the table.
4. Once everyone has chosen a card, flip them over simultaneously. The number on the card that matches the color of the car up for bid is your bid amount (in $M).
5. The player whose speed card has the highest value for the car color shown wins the bid!
   • Tie-breaker 1: If two or more cards have the same value, the card with more cars on it wins.
   • Tie-breaker 2: If both tied cards have the same number of cars, the one without the wild symbol wins.
6. When you win a bid, you:
   • Write the amount of your bid on your **Score Sheet**.
   • Add the matching **Speed-8 card** to your hand.
   • Put the **Power card** face up in front of you.
   • Take the matching **Driver Plaque** and place it in front of you.
7. All bid cards (even those from players who didn't win) are returned to players’ hands and can be used again for future bids in the auction.
8. A new car and power card are revealed, and bidding continues until all cars are auctioned off.
9. Important Auction Rule: Every player must end up with at least one car. If the number of cars remaining equals the number of players without cars, only those players without cars can bid. If only one car is left and there's a player without a car, they reveal the card in their hand with the lowest value of that car's color and bid that amount.
10. After all cars are auctioned off, if any player has more than one **Power card**, they select one to keep and return the others to the box. The chosen power card applies to all of their cars.
11. Rare Auction Events: If no one bids on a car/power combo, set it aside. If players are without cars at the end of the auction, they bid on these set-aside cards one at a time. Otherwise, these cars race unowned, but can still be bet on. Also, if you have no cards matching the color of a car up for bid, you can use a wild card to bid!

The Race

Now for the main event! The player who controls the car on the space takes the first turn. Play then proceeds to the left.

1. During your turn, you'll play one **Speed Card** from your hand and resolve its movement.
2. Playing Speed Cards:
   • Each car whose color appears on the card is moved the number of spaces indicated.
   • Cars are always moved in order from top to bottom on the card (unless you have the **Tricky** power).
   • You, the player who played the card, move *all* the cars on the card, even if they belong to other players (unless that car is controlled by someone with the **Cunning** power).
   • After the card is resolved, place it face up in the discard pile.
3. Wilds:
   • White cars on a card are wild! When you play a card with a white car, you may pick *any* color car to move, as long as that color isn't already on the card (unless you have the **Unpredictable** power).
   • You can even pick a car that has already finished the race or one that is currently blocked.
   • If a card has two wild cars, you must choose two *different* color cars to move.
4. Moving Cars on the Track:
   • Cars move forward to the next adjacent space, either straight or diagonally.
   • Cars cannot move sideways or backwards.
   • Cars cannot move *through* other cars, though they can move diagonally between two cars that are diagonally adjacent.
   • A space is considered "forward" if the front end of the new space is further ahead than the front end of the space the car moved out of.
   • Each car must be moved the full number of spaces if possible. If it can't move the full amount, move it as far as possible. If there's a legal move, you *must* move the car. However, you can strategically move a car so it gets blocked by others and can't complete its full movement.
5. Power Cards: Remember those **Power Cards** you won in the auction? They can affect movement or other rules. If a power contradicts a rule, the power takes precedence! For example, with the **Cunning** power, you decide where your cars move, even on other people's turns.

The Betting

During the race, there are three betting lines on the track. This is your chance to secretly predict the winners!

1. Once a car *first* crosses the first betting line, and after all movement for that card has been resolved, each player secretly marks on their **Score Sheet** which of the six cars they think will finish in first place.
2. You can bet on your own cars or on other players' cars.
3. Bets are made in the same way after a car *first* crosses the second and third betting lines.
4. You can bet on the same car multiple times or on different cars for each betting line.
5. At the end of the race, you'll gain money for each of your bets if the cars you bet on finished first, second, or third, as indicated on the **Score Sheet**.

End of Game and Scoring

The race concludes, and it's time to see who truly mastered the track and the market!

1. Finishing the Race:
   • As soon as a car crosses the finish line, it's placed in the appropriate winner's space near the track. The distance it goes past the line doesn't matter.
   • When *all* of a player's cars have finished the race, that player discards the rest of their hand without effect and takes no more turns.
   • It's possible some cars won't cross the finish line. These cars "stall out," don't finish, and don't collect any money.
2. Winning the Game:
   • After all cars have finished the race, players mark on their **Score Sheets** how much money they earn for each of their cars based on their finishing position.
   • Then, circle any money you won through betting.
   • Add up all this money, and then subtract your initial bid money from it. The remaining amount is your winnings!
   • The player with the most winnings wins the game!
   • Tie-breaker: In case of a tie, the player whose car finished higher wins.

Tips for Winning

Ready to leave your opponents in the dust? Here are a few pointers to get you started:

1. Master the Auction: Don't just bid on your favorite color! Pay attention to the **Power Cards** being offered. A good power can significantly boost your car's performance. Also, remember that your bid cards return to your hand, so using a high-value card for a car you really want might be worth it, as you can use that card again later.
2. Strategic Movement (Even for Opponents' Cars!): You'll often be moving other players' cars. Use this to your advantage! Can you move an opponent's car into a position where it gets blocked by other cars, preventing it from moving its full amount on a future turn? Or perhaps move an opponent's car just enough to cross a betting line, triggering a betting phase before they're ready, or when you have a strong bet already in mind. Remember, you always move your cars, even on other people's turns, so keep an eye on the track!
3. Clever Betting is Key: While winning the race with your cars is great, a significant portion of your final score will come from smart bets. Don't put all your eggs in one basket! Spread your bets across different cars, especially those that look strong, even if they aren't yours. Observing which cars are getting pushed forward by other players can give you clues about potential winners.