Gamehelpslambo

SLAMBO!

Players: 2–4 Age: 6+ Time: ~5 minutes

PLAY!

SLAMBO! is usually a 2-player game. For the 3–4 player variant, see the end of the rules.

The game is played in rounds called bouts. During a bout, you and your opponent take turns playing 1 card at a time face up onto a pile in the middle.

The start card is always the first card in the pile. The number 5 is the starting balance total. Each card raises or lowers the balance total by the number printed on it. Blue cards raise the balance total Red cards lower it Only the top card on the pile should be visible

Each time you play a card:

Figure out the new balance total Shout it out

If the new balance is above 10 or below 0, your opponent shouts:

👉 SLAMBO! …and you lose the bout.

Hakkeyoi, Nokotta!

Sumo referees shout:

Nokotta! (“remaining!”) to show the match isn’t over Hakkeyoi! (“come on!”) when action stalls

👉 Try to force your opponent to go above 10 or below 0 so you can yell SLAMBO!

SETUP Place the start card in the middle with the 0–10 side up Place 1 shame card next to it Set remaining shame cards aside as supply Give each player a player aid

Shuffle the number cards (Only add special cards with 3+ players)

Deal each player a starting hand (see table) Set leftover cards facedown Choose a random player to go first EXAMPLE PLAY Player 1 starts with a blue 4 → “9!” Player 2 plays red -7 → “2!”

Later in the bout:

Balance is 1 Player 1 plays blue 2 → “3!” Player 2 plays red -5 → “-2!” Player 1 shouts: SLAMBO! SLAMBO! (LOSING A BOUT)

If you bring the balance:

Above 10 Or below 0

You lose the bout and must: 👉 Take all shame cards from the middle

BREAK!

If both players run out of cards and no one is SLAMBO’d:

The referee calls a break No one takes shame cards Add 1 shame card to the middle

👉 Next bout is worth more shame

AGAIN!

If no player has 3 shame cards:

Play another bout Loser of last bout goes first

If the last bout ended in a break:

The player who went second goes first WIN

If any player has 3 or more shame cards at the end of a bout:

They lose The remaining player wins 3–4 PLAYER RULES Shuffle in the 6 special cards Game ends when any player has 3+ shame That player loses All other players win SPECIAL CARD RULES After raising or lowering the balance total, reverse turn order If a player has no cards left, skip their turn

Special effects:

Choose whether a card’s number is positive or negative Copy the last card played If it copied something, copy that result EXPERT MATCH (1–9)

For more suspense:

Flip the start card to the 1–9 side Now SLAMBO happens if balance goes: Above 9 Below 1 COMPONENTS 1 Start Card (Hakkeyoi, Nokotta!) 9 Shame Cards (Haji!) 17 Number Cards (9 blue, 8 red) 6 Special Cards 4 Player Aids CREDITS Design: Ryan “Boulder” Richford Illustration: Sai Beppu Graphic Design: Anca Gavril Development: Breeze Grigas, John Brieger, Brian McKay Rules Editing: Jeff Fraser 3D Artist: Filip Gavril