Teach the Game
Acquire in a few minutes: win with the most money, found and grow hotel chains, buy stock, and cash in on mergers.
How you win
“You’re investors. Tiles build hotels; hotels become chains; chains swallow each other. Every time a chain is swallowed, its biggest shareholders get paid. Most money at the end wins.”
- What you need: cash at the end — not stock, not tiles.
- How you get it: own the most (or second-most) shares of a chain when it is acquired, and when the game ends.
The boards
One board of 108 spaces (1A–12I). You hold 6 secret tiles, each fitting one space. The info card in front of you gives every chain’s share price and bonuses by size.
A round
Each turn, three steps (A turn):
- Place a tile — on its own space. It may start a chain (free share), grow one, or merge two.
- Buy up to 3 shares of chains on the board.
- Draw back to 6 tiles.
The bigger chain swallows the smaller. The smaller chain’s top shareholders get bonuses, then everyone keeps, sells or trades (2 for 1) that stock.
How the game ends
Any player may call the end on their turn once every chain is safe (11+ tiles) or one chain has 41+ tiles.
Ways to score
| Money from | Notes |
|---|---|
| Starting cash | $6,000 each |
| Primary / secondary (/ tertiary) bonus | When a chain you hold is acquired, and for every chain at the end |
| Selling acquired stock | During its merger, at its old price |
| Selling all stock at the end | At each chain’s final price; stock of a vanished chain is worth nothing |
| Spending | Buying shares is the only expense |
What each resource is for
- Money — why: it is the score and pays for shares. Get it: bonuses and selling acquired stock. Use it: up to 3 shares a turn. Run dry and you can’t buy until the next payout.
- Shares — why: rank decides bonuses. Get them: buy, found a chain (1 free), trade 2 for 1. Use them: hold for bonuses, sell at mergers and at the end.
- Tiles — why: they decide where chains start, grow and collide. Get them: draw 1 a turn. Use them: time the merger that pays you, and hold the tile that would hurt you.
Teaching tips
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Demonstrate founding, the free share, then optional purchases and the replacement draw (rehearsal).
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Play open stock and open money and Tycoon Mode in a first game — both are the rulebook’s advice.
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Walk through one merger with real numbers from the info card before starting.
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Stress that bonuses are flat amounts for your rank, and that stock is only sold in mergers or at the end.