Shall We Dance

About this board game

Shall We Dance is a card game for 2–4 players that takes about 20 minutes, challenging players to pair gentlemen and ladies while specializing in seven dancer colors.

Each color is split between cards showing ladies and cards showing gentlemen. On your turn, play 1–3 cards of the same gender. You may play cards from a single color you do not yet have in front of you, or play only colors you already hold. In the latter case, completing a gentleman-and-lady pair lets you place that pair in front of you.

The dance becomes more competitive when free, unpaired cards are left in play. For each color you played, check whether another player has a free card of the same color and opposite gender. If so, take one to create a pair in front of you. The player who loses the card receives 1–2 points from the reserve as compensation.

• Match gentlemen and ladies into pairs.
• Collect cards in colors where you can build a majority.
• Balance new plays against the points opponents receive for stolen cards.

End your turn by refilling your hand to eight cards, drawing 1–3 cards, one each from different stacks. When enough stacks are depleted, the game ends; each player reveals one more card in an attempt to make a final pair.

Score 1 point for every pair in front of you. In each color, the player with the most cards earns 3 points, while the next-most receives 1 point. In Shall We Dance, the highest total wins.