How to Play Spot it!

Game Objective

In Dobble, your main objective is to be the fastest player to identify the common symbol between two cards and say its name aloud. The game is a collection of quick and challenging mini-games, where everyone plays at the same time. The player who wins the most mini-games will be the winner of the game.

Setup

Dobble contains 55 cards, each with 8 symbols. There will always be one, and only one, common symbol between any two cards. Before you start playing the mini-games, it is recommended to do a practice round so that everyone understands the main mechanic:

1. Draw any two cards and place them face up on the table, visible to everyone.
2. Find the common symbol on these two cards (the shape and color must be the same; only the size may be different).
3. The first player to find the common symbol must say its name aloud.
4. Then, that player draws two new cards and places them on the table.
5. Repeat this process until all players understand that there will always be a single common symbol between two cards.

After that, you will be ready to choose and play the mini-games!

Game Flow

Dobble is played through a collection of mini-games. Players can choose to play all mini-games in a specific order or just their favorites. All players play simultaneously in each mini-game. The general flow is as follows:

1. Mini-game Selection: Decide which mini-game will be played.
2. Mini-game Preparation: Follow the specific preparation instructions for the chosen mini-game.
3. Simultaneous Start: All players start playing at the same time, looking for common symbols according to the mini-game rules.
4. Action Resolution: The fastest player to identify the symbol and announce it aloud performs the corresponding action (take a card, discard a card, etc.).
5. Continuation: The game continues until the mini-game's end condition is met.
6. Determining the Mini-game Winner: The player who fulfills the mini-game's objective is declared the winner of that round.
7. Next Mini-game or End of Game: If there are more mini-games to be played, the process is repeated. Otherwise, the game ends and the overall winner is determined.

Actions and How to Play

The central action in Dobble is always the same: identify the common symbol between cards and announce it. However, how this action impacts the game varies according to the mini-game:

Identify Common Symbol

• What it does: Allows you to perform the specific action of the mini-game.
• When it can be used: At any time, as soon as you identify the common symbol between the relevant cards for the current mini-game.
• Restrictions: The symbol must have the same shape and color (size may vary). You must be the first to say the symbol's name aloud.

Specific Mini-games:

The Tower of Chaos

• Preparation: Give 1 face-down card to each player. Form a draw pile in the center of the table with the remaining cards face up.
• How to play: Players simultaneously flip their cards face up. Find the common symbol on your card and on the first card of the draw pile. Say the symbol's name aloud. Take the face-up card from the draw pile and place it, face up, on top of your card to form a personal pile. Use the new card on top of your personal pile to find the common symbol with the new card on top of the draw pile. Continue until the draw pile runs out.

The Well

• Preparation: Place one face-up card in the center of the table. Distribute the remaining face-down cards equally (if possible) among all players to form their personal draw piles.
• How to play: Players simultaneously flip their draw piles face up. If you are the first to find the common symbol on your card and on the card in the center of the table, say the symbol's name aloud and place your card on top of the pile in the center of the table. This card becomes the new central card. Use the new card on top of your personal pile to find the common symbol with the new card on top of the pile in the center of the table. Continue until 1 player runs out of cards.

Hot Potato

• Preparation: Give 1 face-down card to each player. Set aside the remaining cards for later use. Decide how many rounds will be played (at least 5).
• How to play: Players simultaneously flip their cards face up, holding them firmly in the palm of their hand. When you find a common symbol on your card and on another player's card, say the symbol's name aloud and place your card on top of the other player's card. If you have 2 or more cards in your hand, look for a matching symbol using only the top card. When you find it, give all the cards in your hand to the player with the card with the matching symbol. Continue playing until 1 player has all the cards. This player loses the round and places the cards in front of them. A new round begins.

The Poisoned Gift

• Preparation: Give 1 face-down card to each player. Form a draw pile in the center of the table with the remaining cards face up.
• How to play: Players simultaneously flip their cards face up. Look for common symbols between the card in the center of the table and any player's cards. If you find one, say the symbol's name aloud. Take the face-up card from the pile in the center of the table and place it on top of the other player's card with the matching symbol. The revealed card in the draw pile becomes the new central card. Continue playing until the draw pile runs out.

Best of Three

• Preparation: Form a pile with all cards face down. Draw the first 9 cards and place them face up on the table.
• How to play: Simultaneously, players try to find a common symbol on any three cards. The same symbol must be present on all 3 cards to form a set. As soon as you find the set, say the symbol's name aloud. Take the 3 cards with the common symbols and replace them with 3 new cards. The game ends when there are fewer than 9 cards remaining and it is no longer possible to make sets of 3 cards.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when all chosen mini-games have been played. Scoring is determined by the number of mini-games won:

• The player who won the most mini-games is the winner of the game.

Victory Criteria per Mini-game:

• The Tower of Chaos: The player with the most cards wins.
• The Well: The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.
• Hot Potato: At the end of the last round, the player with the fewest cards in front of them wins.
• The Poisoned Gift: The player with the fewest cards wins.
• Best of Three: The player with the most cards wins.

In Case of Doubt or Tie:

• Who said it first: The first player who said the symbol's name is the winner.
• Tie in action: In case of a tie, the first player to take or draw the cards wins.
• Overall tie (2 players): If two players are tied for first place in the game, they both play a duel. Each player draws a card and places it face up on the table at the same time. The first player to identify the common symbol between the two cards and say its name aloud wins.
• Overall tie (3 or more players): If three or more players are tied, play a game of "Hot Potato" to determine the winner.

Tips for Winning

• Focus and Speed: Always be the fastest player to identify the common symbol between the cards and say its name aloud. Visual and verbal agility is crucial.
• Practice: If you have never played Dobble, do the initial practice round to familiarize yourself with the mechanic of finding the common symbol. This helps train your eye for the main task of the game.