Objective of the Game

Welcome to the exciting world of art dealing in **Modern Art: Taiwan Edition**! Here, you'll step into the shoes of an art dealer and collector, managing 70 masterpieces by the renowned Taiwanese artist Chen Cheng-Po. Your goal isn't just to collect beautiful art, but to prove your keen eye for tomorrow's trends and your sharp business sense. Over four intense auction rounds, you'll buy and sell artworks, aiming to build the most valuable personal collection while raking in as much cash as possible from your sales. The player with the most money at the end of the game is crowned the ultimate art mogul! Will your gallery be filled with timeless masterpieces or last year's forgotten fads? Only those with a nose for tomorrow's tastes will rise to the top!

Preparation (Setup)

Getting your gallery ready for business is quick and easy!

1. First things first, carefully remove all the **coins** and **value chips** from their backing sheets.
2. Place the **board** in the center of the table. This board is your visual guide to the five art genres and will help track their values throughout the game.
3. Each player takes **100 Taiwanese dollars** in starting capital and a **player screen**. Set up your screen in front of you to keep your cash hidden from prying eyes!
4. The remaining **money** forms the **Bank**. Designate one player to be the **Banker** for the game.
5. Shuffle the **70 art cards** thoroughly.
6. Deal out the art cards to each player based on the player count:
   • 3 players: 10 cards each
   • 4 players: 9 cards each
   • 5 players: 8 cards each
7. Place any remaining **cards** face down near the board. These will be used in later rounds.

You're all set to start your journey into the high-stakes world of art auctions!

The Game Turn

A game of **Modern Art** unfolds over four thrilling auction rounds. Each round consists of players taking turns to auction off artworks. Here's how a turn generally flows:

1. Starting the Round: In the first round, the youngest player goes first. In subsequent rounds, play passes to the player to the left of the player who laid out the last card in the previous round.
2. Playing a Card: On your turn, choose one **art card** from your hand and lay it face up in the middle of the table. This card is now up for auction, and you are the **auctioneer** for this card.
3. Auctioning the Card: The symbol on the card you played dictates the type of auction to be used. Let's explore the different auction types:
   • Open Auction (Speech Bubbles Symbol):
     • All players can bid freely.
     • There's no fixed bidding order; players can raise bids as they wish.
     • The **auctioneer** tries to get the highest possible bid.
     • The player with the highest bid wins the card, places it face up in front of them, and pays the bid amount to the **auctioneer**.
   • Clockwise Auction (Clockwise Symbol):
     • Starting with the player to the **auctioneer's** left, each player in turn makes a bid or passes.
     • The auction continues clockwise back to the **auctioneer**, who has the last bid.
     • If the **auctioneer** wins their own card, they pay the bid amount to the **Bank** instead of another player. Otherwise, the winning player pays the **auctioneer**.
     • The winning player places the card face up in front of them.
   • Secret Bid Auction (Question Mark Symbol):
     • Each player secretly decides how much they want to bid and collects that amount in **coins**.
     • All players place their closed fists over the card. When everyone is ready, they open their hands to reveal their bids simultaneously.
     • The player with the highest bid wins the card.
     • Tie-breaker: If two or more players tie with the highest bid, the card goes to the one who is first in line, starting with the **auctioneer** and moving clockwise.
     • The winning player pays their bid to the **auctioneer** and places the card face up in front of them.
   • Fixed Price Auction (Money Symbol):
     • The **auctioneer** sets a price for the card (cannot be higher than their current cash holding).
     • Starting with the player to the **auctioneer's** left, each player in turn can accept or decline the card at the set price.
     • If a player accepts, they pay the **auctioneer** the set price and take the card, placing it face up in front of them.
     • If all players decline, the **auctioneer** must buy the card themselves at the price they set, paying the money to the **Bank**.
   • Double Auction (Card Plus Card Symbol):
     • When you play a **Card plus card symbol** card, you must immediately play a second **art card** of the *same genre* but with a *different auction symbol*.
     • You then auction *both cards as one lot*, using the auction method indicated by the symbol on the *second card*.
     • The player with the highest bid wins both cards, places them face up in front of them, and pays the bid amount to the **auctioneer**.
     • Important: If you cannot or don't want to play a second card, the player to your left *may* add a card of the same genre. If they do, they become the **auctioneer** for both cards and receive all proceeds. If no one can or wants to add a second card, the original player takes their card back without paying anything, placing it face up in front of them.
4. Ending a Round: A round immediately ends as soon as the **fifth card of any single genre** is played onto the table. This fifth card is *not* auctioned off or sold; its only purpose is to trigger the end of the round.

End of Game and Scoring

The game consists of four auction rounds, each followed by a **settling up** phase.

Settling Up After Each Round

After a round ends (when the fifth card of a genre is played):

1. Determine Genre Values:
   • Count all the **art cards** on the table (including the fifth card that ended the round).
   • The genre with the most cards on the table receives a **30 value marker**.
   • The second most numerous genre receives a **20 value marker**.
   • The third most numerous genre receives a **10 value marker**.
   • The remaining two genres have no value for this round.
   • Tie-breaker for genre counts: If two or more genres have an equal number of cards, the genre furthest to the left on the **value tracking board** wins the tie.
   • Place these **value markers** on the **value tracking board** in the row corresponding to the current round for their respective genres.
2. Cumulative Values (Rounds 2, 3, & 4):
   • For the second, third, and fourth rounds, the value of a genre is the *sum of all markers* in its column on the **value tracking board**. This means values can increase cumulatively!
   • For example, if a genre got a 30 marker in Round 1 and a 20 marker in Round 2, its cards are now worth 50 each.
3. Cash In Cards:
   • Players now sell the **art cards** they collected during the round (the ones placed face up in front of them).
   • For each card of a valued genre, a player receives the current cumulative value for that genre from the **Bank**.
   • Cards of valueless genres are discarded without payment.
   • The fifth card that ended the round is *not* sold, even if its genre is valued.
4. Prepare for Next Round:
   • All **art cards** from the table (including those from the "Japanese art collector" in the 3-player variant) are returned to the box. They play no further part in the game.
   • Before the second and third rounds, additional **art cards** are dealt to players:
     • 3 players: 6 cards each (Rounds 2 & 3)
     • 4 players: 4 cards each (Rounds 2 & 3)
     • 5 players: 3 cards each (Rounds 2 & 3)
   • No new cards are dealt before the fourth round.

Game End

The game concludes after the **settling up** phase of the fourth round. Any cards left in players' hands at this point are worthless.

Winning the Game

The player with the **largest amount of cash** at the end of the fourth round is the winner!

Tips for Winning

**Modern Art** is all about timing, reading your opponents, and understanding the market. Here are a few pointers to help you navigate the art world:

1. Know Your Value (and Potential Value): In the first round, a card's maximum value is 30. Don't overpay! If a card goes for 22, you need to be confident it will be from the top-scoring genre, or you're already losing money. In later rounds, remember that cards with existing **value markers** can become much more valuable, but *only if* they score in the top three again in the current round. Always balance a card's potential maximum value with its actual chances of reaching that value. Sometimes, it's better to pass on an auction than pay an unrealistic price.
2. Master the Auction Types: Each auction type offers unique opportunities and risks.
   • Open Auctions can quickly escalate, so know when to push and when to back off.
   • Clockwise Auctions give the auctioneer the final say, which can be a powerful advantage.
   • Secret Bids are tricky; you might overpay, or get a steal!
   • Fixed Price Auctions allow you to control the price, but if no one bites, you're stuck with it.
   • Double Auctions are great for clearing multiple cards of a genre and can lead to higher bids, but remember the second card's symbol dictates the auction type.
   Understanding which auction type suits your current hand and the market situation is crucial.
3. Watch the Genres and the Board: Keep a close eye on which genres are accumulating cards on the table. The **value tracking board** is your best friend for predicting future values. Sometimes, playing a card just to push a genre to five and end the round can be a powerful strategic move, even if that card isn't auctioned. Also, remember the tie-breaker rule for genres: the one furthest to the left on the board has an advantage, which can be a subtle but important factor in close rounds.