Teach the Game

A first teach for collecting, splitting, arranging and scoring Stamp Swap.

How you win

Have the most points after Friday, Saturday and Sunday Shows and the Final Show. If tied, the player with the greater total value on rare stamps wins; if still tied, share the win.

The boards

Each player has a 12-by-12 album grid, a Daily Collection row for six items, a reserve space, specialist display, and built-in exhibitor. The central board holds the phase track, score track, four regular contest cards and the Finale contest. The communal supply has four stacks of ordinary stamps, forever stamps, attendee cards, and events.

A round

At round setup reveal event cards equal to the number of players and combine the items they show into a public pool. Each player selects one item per turn until everyone has six. If nobody selected the first-player token, the last collector takes it. During Swap, each player reserves one item and splits the rest into two nonempty piles. The first-player token holder chooses a pile from an opponent; the person whose pile was taken chooses next unless they already had a choice, when selection passes counterclockwise to the next player who has not chosen. In Show, add cards and stamps to your display and album, score the exhibitor, first-player bonus and one unentered contest.

How the game ends

After Sunday’s Show, score the Final Show. The forever-stamp contest gives 10/6/3 points for first/second/third, with a minimum of one forever stamp. The 2-player game adds an imaginary player with three forever stamps. Add stamp values (including negatives), two points for every specialist, and the Finale contest.

Ways to score

Gain round points from the exhibitor on your mat (for matching stamps), two points for holding the first-player token, and one contest card each round. Endgame points come from forever-stamp ranking, stamp values, specialists, and the Finale. Contests include counts by size, color or theme; connected or separate groups; sets; album edges; surrounded stamps; perfect corners; holes; and empty regions. Follow the card’s exact objective.

What each resource is for

• Stamp tiles fill the album and contribute their printed point values and contest traits. Rare gold stamps lack color and theme; canceled stamps have no value; forever stamps are tiny, valueless majority markers.
• Specialist cards grant an ongoing ability while they are in your area and are worth 2 points at the end.
• Exhibitors score matching stamps each Show.
• Show tickets record which contests you have entered; use a different contest each Show.
• The first-player token breaks collection and swap order and awards 2 VP in the Show.
• Events define the round’s pool and can change what happens during a phase.

Teaching tips

Explain that this is an “I cut, you choose” negotiation game: every split should make both piles plausible while protecting your own priorities. Then show the album geometry and that stamps never move once placed. Teach rare/canceled/forever differences before the first draft, and use one open example of a contest. The optional solo mode replaces multiplayer pile selection with Pinzetta’s appraisal system; teach it from its dedicated page.