Soccer Duel: Instructions – English
1v1 Rules Below: (Also Other Variations … 2v2, and Solo Game)
Object: To score more goals than your opponent by connecting your tiles together to form completed soccer balls. Play best 2 of out 3 games to determine the match winner.
Before you start, make sure all the players know the basic rules to playing the Soccer Duel tiles:
Rule #1: All tiles must connect perfectly by the ball parts (color/shape matching) only.
When you connect all 4 corners of a particular ball, you score a goal!
Rule #2: Tiles must be played in the same direction (vertically).
Rule #3: Tiles must connect vertically or horizontally only. You may not connect diagonally without having another connecting tile.
Rule #4: You may not connect tiles by “grass” only.
Rule #5: Once you play a tile, you may not move it!
Playing the Game:
Setup: Both players sit opposite each other at a table. If playing 2 vs 2; have teammates sit together as they will be playing on the same hand. Find the game box – one player uses the top of the box, and the other player uses the bottom of the box as their tile discard boxes. Shuffle all the tiles face down to form the shared tile pile in the middle of the table (half way between both players). See below for photo …
Each player (or side if playing 2 vs 2) draws 6 tiles from the shared Tile Pile and exposes them face up in front of them. This is the players “hand”. Each player picks one of their 6 tiles to become their “Start Tile”, leaving 5 tiles in their hand. Place the Start Tile front of your hand making sure to give yourself enough space so you can build your soccer area.
Starting The Game: Announce “Go!” Both players race to properly play one of the tiles in their hand to the growing soccer area (first play on ‘Start Tile’) by connecting the balls parts together. You can not play on the other player’s soccer area. Once a tile is played, take another tile from the shared tile pile to return your hand to 5 tiles. You can only have 5 tiles in the your hand at once. You can not move a played tile.
You can move your soccer area to better fit the table, if needed as to avoid running off the edge of the table, or running into the opposing player’s soccer area.
If you can’t play, you must discard one tile into your box, and draw a new tile. Play resumes. If you can not play the newly drawn tile, discard another tile from your hand and draw a new tile until you can make a play.
When a player fully completes a ball, they score 1 goal. Players must announce “Goal” each time they score.
Shown below: Player 1 (left) has 7 goals. Player 2 (right) has 7 goals! Tied at the moment.
If a player draws a yellow card, they must stop playing for 15 seconds. If a player draws a red card, they must stop playing for 30 seconds. During this time, you may not touch any of your tiles.
Ball Lock: If your soccer area is locked (no possible plays), you may start a new play area with any tile in your hand.
Once all the tiles from the Tile Pile have been played, count all the goals to confirm the current score. All of the tiles that can not be played go to each player’s discard box.
To start overtime, each player gives their discard box of tiles to the other player. Upon receiving these tiles, each player attempts to play these tiles on their soccer area and score more goals. You can lay all the tiles out at once (in overtime, you do not have to be limited to only 5 tiles in your hand) to make this easier. When there is no more plays, the game is over.
Whoever has the most goals after overtime is the winner!
Shown below: Player 1 (left) has 9 goals. Player 2 (right) has 8 goals! Player 1 wins!
If the game is still tied after overtime then you will play a Sudden Death (Tie-breaker).
Sudden Death (Tie-breaker):
Shuffle all the tiles face down. Each player takes turns drawing one tile at a time. The first player to properly complete any soccer ball is the winner.
Play best 2 out of 3 games to determine the match winner! Or for more fun, play best 3 out of 5.