Description
In Patchwork, two players compete to create the most visually appealing and high-scoring quilt on their individual 9x9 game boards. To start, arrange all the patches randomly in a circle and place a marker just clockwise of the 2-1 patch. Each player begins with five buttons—used as currency and points in the game—and a starting player is chosen.
On their turn, a player can either purchase one of the three patches located clockwise of the spool or pass. To buy a patch, pay the button cost indicated on the patch, move the spool to the patch's position in the circle, add the patch to your board, and advance your time token on the time track by the number of spaces shown on the patch. You must place the patch on your board without overlapping other patches, aiming to fit them as tightly as possible. If your time token is behind or on top of the opponent’s token, you take another turn; otherwise, it’s the opponent’s turn. If you choose to pass, move your time token to the space just ahead of the opponent's token and collect one button from the bank for each space moved.
Each patch also has a button value ranging from 0 to 3. As you move your time token past these values on the time track, you earn "button income": sum the number of buttons shown on your game board and take that amount from the bank.
The time track features five 1x1 patches. During setup, place five 1x1 patches on these spaces. The first player to pass a patch on the time track claims it and places it on their board.
The first player to completely fill a 7x7 square on their board earns a bonus tile worth 7 extra points at the end of the game, although this doesn't occur in every game.
When a player moves their time token to the central square of the time track, they receive a final button income from the bank. Once both players reach the center, the game ends, and scoring begins. Each player scores one point per button they hold and loses two points for each empty square on their board. Scores can be negative. The player with the highest score wins.
