How To Play
Game Play
OBJECT OF THE GAME
Take turns hiding nuts until one player prevails!
2-3 Players: Hide at least 15 nuts in your hiding spots to win the game
4-6 Players: Hide at least 10 nuts in your hiding spots to win the game
GAME SETUP
Shuffle the deck and pass out 6 cards (facedown) to each player
Place the deck of cards and nut tokens in reach of all players
HOW TO PLAY
The player who last ate a nut goes first, and play continues clockwise.
You can play up to 5 cards in a turn. You must have 1 discard at the end of each turn (you can only discard 1 card).
On each turn you can do one or more of the following:
Play a hiding spot, adding in 1 or more nuts, or adding nuts to an existing hiding spot/s
Play an action card on another player
Protect your nuts by using defense cards
Discard a card if you don’t have a card to play or want to strategically hold on to cards.
Start each turn by drawing back up to a total of 6 cards in your hand (cards can only be drawn from the draw pile, not the discard pile).
A player wins when they have enough nuts in their hiding spots, at the end of their turn (remaining players do not get another turn).
When in doubt, read your card - It tells you what to do!
Types of Cards
Hiding Spots
These cards are placed on the table in front of you to hide your nuts. You must be able to place a nut token in a hiding spot (using a nut card or action card that steals a nut) to lay it down. A hiding spot does not need to be full prior to laying down another hiding spot. If all nuts are removed from a hiding spot, it must be discarded.
Nutsack: holds up to 2 nut tokens (15 in deck)
Hole: holds up to 4 nut tokens (10 in deck)
Bush: holds up to 6 nut tokens (5 in deck)
Nut Cards
Exchange a nut card for nut tokens and disperse them below one or more hiding spots. You can discard unneeded nuts (i.e. you play a tough nut card worth 3 nut tokens but you only have room for 2 in your hiding spot/s). Once nuts are placed in a hiding spot, they cannot be moved to another hiding spot.
Baby Nut = 1 nut token (7 in deck)
Shriveled Nut = 1 nut token (7 in deck)
Hairy Nut = 2 nut tokens (6 in deck)
Mustachio Nut = 2 nut tokens (6 in deck)
Tough Nut = 3 nut token (6 in deck)
Golden Nut = 5 nut tokens (only 1 in deck)
Defense Cards
These cards protect your nuts and hiding spots.
Guardian Squirrel: Place this card below a full hiding spot to protect your nuts against weather cards, being stolen, or cracked. Only one guardian squirrel can be played below each hiding spot. Once a guardian squirrel has been played, it cannot be moved to a different hiding spot. (9 in deck)
Second Defense: Place this card below a guardian squirrel. Only one second defense can be played below each hiding spot. (5 in deck)
Hard Shell Shield: When an action card is played against you, use this card to stop that action from being played. This is the only card that can be played out of turn. It cannot be used to defend against a weather card. (5 in deck)
Action Cards
These cards play an action on another player.
Nutcracker: Remove an undefended nut token from another player’s hiding spot and place it back into the token pile. (6 in deck)
Trade Cards: Randomly draw a card(facedown) from another player’s hand and trade it with a chosen card from your hand (the trade card is discarded). (5 in deck)
Sneaky Chipmunk: Take one undefended nut token from another player’s hiding spot and place it into one of your hiding spots (or discard). (6 in deck)
Rotten Raccoon: Discard another player’s guardian squirrel card [that is not also defended by a second defense] and take a nut token to place into one of your hiding spots. This card can only be used when a guardian squirrel is present. (3 in deck)
Rabid Dog: Discard one guardian squirrel or second defense card from another player. (3 in deck)
Weather Cards
These are a type of action card. There are three weather cards in the deck. A hard shell shield cannot be used against these cards. These affect all other players, except the card player.
Tornado: When played, all other player’s undefended nutsacks and their nut tokens are discarded. (1 in deck)
Flood: When played, all other player’s undefended holes and their nut tokens are discarded. (1 in deck)
Fire: When played, all other player’s undefended bushes and their nut tokens are discarded. (1 in deck)
FAQs of Game Play
Can a player draw from the discard pile?
On your turn, players draw cards from the draw pile only. If you use up all cards from the draw pile during a round, shuffle the discard pile to create a new draw pile.
Can a player discard more than one card at the end of their turn?
Only one card can be discarded at the end of each turn.
Can players move a Guardian Squirrel and/or nuts between hiding spots?
Once a card/nut is played it cannot be moved to another hiding spot.
Do your hiding spots have to be full to win the game?
No, as long as you have enough nuts hidden between hiding spots, they do not have to be full.
Can we play with more than six players?
Although the game was designed for 2-6 players, you can play with more if you choose. Keep the same rules as a game of 6 or decide on a goal amongst players. Game play just may take longer and you may have to reshuffle the discard pile during play.
Additional Questions
If you have any additional questions or comments for game play, please complete the form below.