How to Play Rufstock

Objective of the Game

Welcome to Rufstock, the biggest canine music festival in the world! Players compete to organize lines of dogs and board them onto vehicles. The goal is to be the first to empty your hand of dog cards by playing strategic combinations. The game lasts 2 rounds, and the player with the most points at the end wins.

Points are earned by emptying your hand:

• The first player to run out of cards receives 4 points.
• Subsequent players receive 1 point fewer than the previous player as they empty their hands.

Preparation (Setup)

Here’s how to set up Rufstock:

• Vehicle cards (a): Place the two vehicle cards (Kombi and Bus) side by side in the center of the table.
• Dog deck (b): Shuffle the 52 dog cards and deal 8 cards per player. Players cannot rearrange the order of cards in their hand.
• Waiting line (c): Place 3 dog cards above the vehicles. These can be used to help complete or improve combinations.

The player who most recently attended a rock concert starts with the boarding ticket.

Game Flow

On your turn, you may play up to 4 cards from your hand, but they must be side by side in the order they appear in your hand (no rearranging!).

Play your cards to one of the vehicles, always beating the existing combination there. If you succeed, you take the boarding ticket.

If you can’t (or choose not to) play a better combination, you may:

• Draw a card: Take one from the waiting line or draw deck and place it anywhere in your hand.
• Reorder one card: Move one card in your hand to a new position.
• Pass without action: Skip your turn entirely.

When all players pass and the turn returns to the player holding the boarding ticket, discard all cards on the vehicles. That player restarts play with any valid combination.

Actions and How to Play

Vehicles and Combinations

Each vehicle has preferred passengers:

• Kombi (1): Prefers lower numbers.
• Bus (8): Prefers higher numbers.

Combinations can be:

• Set: Cards with the same number (e.g., [2][2][2]).
• Sequence: Consecutive numbers in any order (e.g., [3][4][5] or [7][6][5]).

Key rule: A combination with more cards always beats one with fewer, regardless of values.

Using the Waiting Line

You may use cards from the waiting line to improve your combination. Lay down cards from your hand (in order), then insert waiting-line cards at any point in your combination.

2-Player Mode

Use only one vehicle (start with the Bus). If a player can’t beat the current combination, discard the cards, switch vehicles, and the player with the boarding ticket restarts play.

Wild Rocker Mode

In this variant:

• Both vehicles can have the same type of combination.
• A set beats a sequence if they have the same number of cards.

End of Game and Scoring

A round ends when a player empties their hand. Points are awarded as follows:

• 1st to empty hand: 4 points.
• 2nd: 3 points.
• 3rd: 2 points.
• 4th (in a 4-player game): 1 point.
• 5th (in a 5-player game): 0 points.

After 2 rounds, the player with the most points wins!

Tips to Win

• Prioritize larger combinations: More cards always win, so aim to play 3- or 4-card sets or sequences when possible.
• Use the waiting line strategically: Incorporate waiting-line cards to remove more cards from your hand in a single turn.
• Watch vehicle preferences: The Kombi favors lower numbers, while the Bus favors higher ones—plan your plays accordingly.