Silver & Gold

2019

Explore distant islands and hunt for golden treasures in Silver & Gold! This board game combines simple rules with fast-paced action and strategic planning, offering endless adventures with its wipeable treasure maps.

20
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Silver & Gold is a captivating board game that invites players into the thrilling world of treasure hunting. As intrepid explorers, you’ll voyage across the seven seas in search of the most priceless treasures, represented by the game’s namesakes – silver and gold.

The setting of the game is a vibrant archipelago, filled with hidden treasures and uncharted islands. Each player gets to plot their course on this dynamic landscape, making every game experience unique and exhilarating.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Silver & Gold is a popular card-based game with a simple yet engaging gameplay. The game consists of several components, each plays integral part in game progression:

Firstly, there are 60 Expedition Cards. These cards represent different shapes made up of squares. During the game, players will have to cross out squares on their treasure cards that match the shape on the drawn expedition card.

Secondly, the game includes 48 Treasure Cards. These cards are divided into four colors and each treasure card has a unique shape made up of squares. Players aim to complete these cards by crossing out all the squares on them.

Next, the game has 4 Score Cards. Score cards are used by players to keep track of their points during the game. The players write their scores on these cards after each round.

Additionally, the game consists of 8 Markers. Markers are used by players to mark the squares on their treasure cards that match the shape on the expedition card drawn.

Lastly, there are 4 Pens. Pens are used by players to cross out the squares on their treasure cards and to write their scores on the score cards.

Each of these components interacts with the game in a different way. The expedition and treasure cards form the main part of the game, as players strive to match the shapes and complete their treasure cards as quickly as possible. The score cards and pens are used to keep track of points, while the markers help players remember which squares they have already marked on their treasure cards.

Overall, the components of Silver & Gold provide a fun and engaging experience for players of all ages.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Silver & Gold is an engaging card game that combines strategy, luck, and quick decision-making. Here’s a detailed guide on setting up the game:

Step 1: Player Roles

Each player in Silver & Gold takes on the role of a treasure hunter. Your objective is to discover treasure islands and collect as many points as possible. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Step 2: Setting Up the Game

Shuffle the Expedition Cards: The game includes 8 different expedition cards. Shuffle them and place them as a face-down draw pile in the center of the table.
Prepare the Round Cards: The game is played over 4 rounds. Place the 4 round cards in a stack next to the draw pile, with the “1” card at the top.
Distribute the Player Cards: Each player receives 4 treasure cards, which are placed face up in front of them. The rest of the treasure cards form a face-down draw pile.
Place the Scoring Cards: The scoring cards are laid out next to the draw pile for players to see.

Step 3: Initial Resources

At the beginning of the game, each player receives a dry-erase marker. There are no other initial resources.

Step 4: Random Elements

The random elements in the game come from the shuffled expedition cards. At the beginning of each round, you’ll reveal 7 expedition cards one at a time. These cards dictate which shapes players can mark off on their treasure cards.

Game flow Round and round we go

Silver & Gold is a fun and engaging card-based board game that involves players drawing cards and filling up their treasure maps. The game is divided into four rounds, and each round consists of several phases.

Phase 1: Drawing Expedition Cards

At the beginning of each round, seven expedition cards are drawn from the deck and laid out in a row. These cards represent the possible shapes that players can fill in on their treasure maps.

Phase 2: Choosing Treasure Maps

Each player starts the round by choosing two treasure maps from the four face-up maps. Once a player chooses a map, it’s not replaced until all players have chosen their maps. The chosen maps are then placed in front of the respective players.

Phase 3: Filling in the Maps

The top card from the expedition deck is flipped over, and all players simultaneously fill in the corresponding shape on one of their treasure maps. Players can rotate or flip the shape but must fill in each square of the shape. If a player cannot or chooses not to fill in the shape, they can instead cross off a single square on one of their maps.

Phase 4: Scoring Points

When a player fills in all the squares on a treasure map, the map is scored. The player earns points equal to the number on the map, plus any bonus points for filled-in palm trees on the map and in the row of expedition cards. The completed map is then discarded, and the player draws a new map from the face-up maps, which are then replenished from the deck.

Phase 5: End of the Round

The round ends after the seventh expedition card has been flipped and all players have filled in the corresponding shape (or a single square). All used expedition cards are shuffled and form a new draw pile for the next round.

End of the Game

The game ends after four rounds. Players add up all the points they’ve earned from completed treasure maps, filled-in palm trees, and collected coins. The player with the highest total score wins.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

During a player’s turn in ‘Silver & Gold’, the player has to perform a series of actions that involve drawing cards, marking squares and scoring points. Here is a detailed breakdown of the steps and strategic choices a player can make:

1. Draw a Card:

At the beginning of each turn, the player draws a card from the deck. This card determines the shape that all players will need to mark off on their treasure cards. It’s important to note that the deck includes four copies of each shape, and they are reshuffled after all 8 shapes have been drawn.

2. Mark Squares:

After the card is drawn, all players simultaneously mark off squares on their treasure cards that match the shape on the drawn card. Players can rotate and flip the shape, but it must fit entirely on a single card. If a player cannot or chooses not to mark off a shape, they can mark off a single square on any card instead.

Strategic Choices:

Deciding where to mark off squares requires strategic thinking. For instance, completing a card quickly can provide a new card and potentially more points. Alternatively, marking off squares with coins allows the player to cross off additional squares later.

3. Scoring Points:

When a player completes a treasure card by marking off all of its squares, they score points equal to the number shown on the card. Additionally, if a player marks off a square with a coin, they can mark off an extra square on any card. If a player marks off a square with a palm tree, they score points based on the number of palm trees on the active expedition card.

Strategic Choices:

Choosing which card to complete or which squares to mark off can greatly affect a player’s score. Completing cards with higher point values or more coins can lead to higher scores. Similarly, marking off squares with palm trees when there are many palm trees on the active expedition card can maximize points.

4. End of Turn:

The turn ends after all players have marked off squares and scored points. The next player clockwise becomes the active player and draws a new card to start the next turn.

‘Silver & Gold’ offers a mix of luck and strategy, as players must adapt their plans based on the cards drawn and the actions of their opponents. Each decision can impact not only the current turn, but also set up potential future turns, making every play a critical part of the overall game strategy.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Silver & Gold’ ends after the completion of four rounds. In each round, seven of the eight treasure cards are revealed and played. After all these four rounds, the game ends and players proceed to final scoring.

Victory Conditions:

The player with the highest total points at the end of four rounds is declared the winner. Points can be gained in ‘Silver & Gold’ through a variety of means:

Completing Treasure Cards: Each time a player completes a Treasure Card, they score points equal to the number indicated on the card. These points are immediately recorded on the score track.
Collecting Palm Trees: Each Palm Tree on a completed Treasure Card scores 1 point.
Collecting Coins: If a player crosses off a Coin on their Treasure Card, they take a Coin card worth 2 points. There are limited Coin cards and once they are gone, no more can be collected.
Collecting Parrots: Parrots do not provide points immediately. Rather, at the end of the game, each player’s Parrots are counted. The player with the most Parrots gains 10 points, the player with the second most gains 6 points, and the player with the third most gains 3 points.

Final Scoring:

At the end of the game, after all four rounds have been completed, players proceed to final scoring. The following steps are taken:

Each player counts the number of completed Treasure Cards they have and scores the total points indicated on these cards.
Each player adds the points gained from Palm Trees, which are 1 point each.
Each player adds the points gained from Coins, which are 2 points each.
Each player counts their Parrots and the player with the most Parrots gains an additional 10 points, the player with the second most gains 6 points, and the player with the third most gains 3 points. In case of a tie, the tied players each receive the points for the highest place they could take, skipping the next place(s).
The player with the highest total points is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player who has the most completed Treasure Cards is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the most Palm Trees is the winner. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Silver & Gold is a game where players compete to earn the most points by filling in island cards with different colors. The scoring system is quite straightforward, with several ways to earn points. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the scoring system:

1. Completing Island Cards:

Each island card has a specific value that is awarded to the player upon completing it. These values range from 2 to 16 points.

2. Finding Treasures:

Each card has one or more treasure chest symbols. When a player fills in a square with a treasure chest, they can immediately fill in another square on any of their island cards. If this results in completing another card, they earn the points for that card as well.

3. Collecting Palm Trees:

Each palm tree on a completed island card earns the player points equal to the number of palm trees on the scoring card for the current round.

4. Earning Coins:

Each time a player completes a row on their “Expedition” card, they earn coins. The number of coins earned depends on the row. The top row earns one coin, the middle row earns two, and the bottom row earns three. At the end of the game, players get one point for every two coins they have.

At the end of the game, players add up their points from completed island cards, palm trees, and coins. The player with the most points wins the game.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie, use the following rules to determine the winner:

If two or more players have the same number of points, the player with the most completed island cards wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most coins wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who was the first to complete all of their island cards in the final round wins.
If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Silver & Gold is an engaging card game with rules that are easy to grasp but also comprise a few exceptions or special instances. Understanding these rules will ensure a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.

1. Filling the Island Cards:

Each player usually marks off squares on their island cards according to the shape provided by the expedition card. However, in rare cases where a player cannot or does not want to fill in any squares, they must still flip over one of their island cards, which then becomes inactive for the rest of the round.
If a player fills in all the squares on an island card, they must immediately score the card, even if it is not their turn. They also receive a new island card at the start of the next round.

2. Filling in Palm Trees and Coins:

Whenever a player fills in a square with a palm tree, they immediately receive one point. This rule is an exception to the general scoring mechanism, where points are typically calculated at the end of a round.
If a player fills in a square with a coin, they mark off one coin on their score card. They do not receive any immediate points for this, but at the end of each round, the player with the most marked-off coins receives a bonus of four points.

3. Expedition Card Exceptions:

If the ‘X’ expedition card is drawn, players can mark off any single square on their island cards, regardless of its position. This rule is a unique exception, as typically the shapes provided on the expedition cards must be replicated exactly.
If the ‘2’ expedition card is drawn, players can mark off any two squares on their island cards, irrespective of their relative positions.

4. End of Game:

The game ends after four rounds. This rule is fixed and does not change, even if players have not completed all of their island cards.
At game end, each player counts the total points marked on their scored island cards, the points for the palm trees, and any bonus points received for the coins. The player with the highest total wins.

These rule exceptions and clarifications ensure the game of Silver & Gold remains dynamic, strategic, and full of unexpected twists, providing an enjoyable experience for all players.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Silver & Gold is a fast and engaging card game. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Try to fill in your cards as quickly as possible. A completed card can earn you a new one which might have more profitable opportunities.
Pay attention to the Treasure Chests. They can give you bonus points, especially if you manage to fill them in early in the game.
Always have a plan for the X shapes. These can be quite tricky to fit into your cards, so have a strategy in mind when you see one coming up.

Beginner Tips:

Start with simple cards. As a beginner, it’s best to start with cards that have fewer boxes to fill. This will help you get a feel for the game mechanics.
Don’t forget about the palm trees. These can earn you additional points if you manage to fill them in, so don’t ignore them.
Use your crosses wisely. You get to fill in an extra box each round, so make sure you make the most of this opportunity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Don’t ignore the coins. It can be easy to forget about the coins, but they can add up to a significant amount of points at the end of the game.
Avoid getting stuck with a difficult card. If you find yourself unable to fill in a card, it’s better to discard it and draw a new one.
Don’t forget to rotate and flip your cards. This can make it easier to fit them into your layout.

Optimizing Gameplay:

Keep an eye on what others are doing. If you notice a player is close to completing a card, you might want to choose a different shape to avoid helping them.
Plan your moves ahead of time. Look at the upcoming shapes and try to figure out where they will fit best on your cards.
Be flexible. The cards you draw and the shapes you get can be unpredictable, so be ready to adjust your strategy on the fly.