That’s Pretty Clever!

2018

Immerse yourself in 'That's Pretty Clever', a strategic board game of dice selection and chain-scoring. Create clever combinations while keeping rivals in check by your every move.

30
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Welcome to the captivating world of ‘That’s Pretty Clever!’, a board game that promises to stimulate your mind and challenge your strategic skills. This game is more than just a pastime, it’s a battle of wits, foresight, and strategy.

The game doesn’t have a traditional theme or setting, instead it takes place in an abstract universe. It’s a dice-rolling game that features a unique scoring system and encourages players to think several steps ahead. It’s all about making the best possible use of your rolls and your opponents’ rolls.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

‘That’s Pretty Clever!’ is a captivating dice game that challenges players to create the best combinations to score the most points. The game includes the following components:

1. Scorepad: The Scorepad is the central component of the game. Each player receives a sheet from the scorepad at the beginning of the game. This sheet contains various colored areas (yellow, blue, green, orange, and purple) where players will mark their scores throughout the game. The scores from these areas are calculated at the end of the game to determine the winner.

2. 6 Colored Dice: There are six dice in the game, each in a different color (yellow, blue, green, white, orange, and purple). These colors correspond to the colored areas on the scorepad. On each turn, a player rolls the dice and selects which dice to keep based on their colors and the numbers rolled.

3. 4 Felt-tip Pens: The game includes four felt-tip pens, which players use to mark their scores on the scorepad. The pens are designed to be easily erasable, allowing the scorepad to be reused in future games.

4. Bonus Box: The Bonus Box is a section on the scorepad where players can mark off bonuses they earn during the game. These bonuses come from filling specific conditions in the colored areas on the scorepad. Bonuses can provide extra points, extra actions, or other advantages.

5. Fox Track: The Fox Track is another section on the scorepad. It represents the player’s overall progress and ability to balance their scoring across different areas. The number of foxes marked on this track at the end of the game is multiplied by the player’s lowest score in any color, adding to their final score.

Interactions within the game: The dice are rolled and chosen according to the player’s strategy. The selected dice’s color and number guide players on where to mark on their scorepad. Fulfilling certain conditions on the scorepad activates bonuses, which can give players an edge. The objective is to score as high as possible in all color areas and achieve a balanced score, which is rewarded via the Fox Track. The game ends when the scorepad is filled, and the player with the highest total score wins.

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

‘That’s Pretty Clever’ is an engaging board game that requires strategic thinking and careful planning. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Player Roles

All players in ‘That’s Pretty Clever’ have the same roles. Each player aims to score as many points as possible by filling in their game sheet with the numbers rolled on the dice.

Step 2: Board Placement

There’s no central game board in ‘That’s Pretty Clever’. Instead, each player has their own game sheet and a pen or pencil. Place these sheets in front of each player along with a pen or pencil.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Each player starts the game with an empty game sheet and the scoring is cumulative over the rounds. There aren’t any initial resources to distribute.

Step 4: Random Elements

‘That’s Pretty Clever’ includes a significant random element – the dice. The game uses six dice, each of different colors: yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, and white. Mix these dice together in the dice cup.

Step 5: Determine the First Player

To determine the first player, each player rolls a die. The player with the highest number begins the game.

Step 6: Game Start

The first player rolls all six dice and starts the game. Based on the numbers rolled, the player fills in the corresponding sections on their game sheet.

Step 7: Continue the Game

After the first player completes their turn, the dice are passed to the next player in clockwise order. The game continues this way, with each player taking turns to roll the dice and fill in their game sheets.

Remember, the goal of ‘That’s Pretty Clever’ is to score as many points as possible by the end of the game. So plan your moves carefully and may the best player win!

Game flow Round and round we go

‘That’s Pretty Clever!’ is a brilliant dice game where players aim to score as many points as possible by filling their score sheet with numbers rolled on the dice. The game is played in a series of rounds, and each round is divided into two phases: the Rolling Phase and the Scoring Phase.

Rolling Phase:

Each player takes a turn as the active player. The active player rolls all six dice to start their turn.
The active player then selects one of the rolled dice and places it on their score sheet. The number on the die determines where it is placed on the score sheet.
All dice with a lower value than the selected die are moved to the silver platter (a designated area of the game board). These dice are no longer available for the active player during this turn.
The active player then re-rolls the remaining dice. They select one die again, place it on their score sheet and move all dice with a lower value to the silver platter.
This process is repeated three times in total. After the active player has chosen three dice, their turn is over.

Scoring Phase:

After the active player’s turn, the other players have the opportunity to select one die from the silver platter and place it on their score sheet. This is done in clockwise order starting from the player to the left of the active player.
After all players have chosen a die or passed their turn, the round ends.
Players then add up the points they have scored in this round. The scoring rules are different for each colored area on the score sheet:

Yellow area: The sum of all yellow dice
Blue area: The number on the blue die multiplied by the number of ‘+’ symbols
Green area: Points as indicated on the green progress track
Orange area: The exact number on the orange die
Purple area: The sum of all purple dice

The game continues until the end of the final round. The number of rounds depends on the number of players.
After the final round, players add up all their points. The player with the highest total wins the game.

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

That’s Pretty Clever, also known as ‘Ganz Schön Clever’, is a strategic dice game where players aim to score as many points as possible by carefully filling in their scoring sheets. The game concludes after a specific number of rounds, which varies depending on the number of players involved. The victory conditions and end-of-game actions are detailed below:

End of the Game:

The game ends after each player has been the active player the same number of times. In a one or two-player game, this is after six rounds. For a three-player game, it’s after four rounds, and in a four-player game, it’s after three rounds.

Final Scoring:

Once the game has concluded, players proceed to the final scoring stage. Here, they sum up all their points from each of the five color sections on their score sheet, as well as any additional points from the fox tiles.

Yellow Section: The yellow section is scored as indicated on the sheet, dependent on the number of boxes filled.
Blue Section: The blue section score equals the number in the last filled box.
Green Section: The green section’s points are awarded as indicated in the last filled box.
Orange Section: Each filled box in the orange section is worth the number of points printed inside.
Purple Section: The purple section’s points equal the sum of the numbers in all filled boxes.
Fox Tiles: Each fox tile is worth the number of points of the color section in which the player has the fewest points.

After calculating their scores in each colored section and from their fox tiles, players add these values together to determine their final score. The player with the highest final score is declared the winner of ‘That’s Pretty Clever!’.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the game ‘That’s Pretty Clever!’, players accumulate points through a variety of methods throughout the game. Here is a detailed breakdown of the scoring system:

Scoring During Rounds:

Color Sheets: Each color sheet has its own scoring mechanism. For example, yellow scores based on the number of marked fields, blue scores the lowest marked number, and green scores according to the value on the farthest marked space.
Orange Fields: Each marked orange field scores the number of points marked on the field.
Purple Fields: The score for each marked purple field depends on the current number of marked purple fields. The points increase with each additional marked field.
White Fields: White fields can be used as a wild card to represent any color. The points are added accordingly.
Foxes: At the end of the game, each fox provides a number of points equal to the score of your lowest scoring color sheet.

End of Game Scoring:

At the end of the game, players tally up their scores from all the color sheets, orange fields, purple fields, and foxes. The player with the highest total score wins.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

If there is a tie at the end of the game, the player with the most foxes wins. If there is still a tie, the player who marked the most fields on their score sheet wins. If there is still a tie, the player who was the first player in the game wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘That’s Pretty Clever’ is a fun and challenging strategy game that requires both luck and skill. While the game rules are generally straightforward, there are a few rare or special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of.

Rerolling Dice: One of the unique aspects of this game is the rerolling rule. After your first roll, you can decide to reroll any or all of the dice. However, after a reroll, any dice with a lower value than the die you chose must be moved to the silver platter.

Using the Silver Platter: Dice on the silver platter are no longer available for the active player to use during their turn. However, if you’re not the active player, you can use one die from the silver platter on your turn.

Scoring with the Yellow Die: The yellow die is a little different from the other dice. Instead of scoring points equal to the value of the die, you score points equal to the number of crosses in the row where you placed the die.

For example, if you place the yellow die in a row with three crosses, you score three points, regardless of the value on the die.

Blue Die Scoring Exception: The blue die and the white die can be added together for scoring. However, if the sum is less than the current round number, the player scores zero points for that turn.

Using the Fox: The fox is a special token that can allow you to score extra points. For each fox you have, you score points equal to the value of your lowest-scoring color at the end of the game.

For example, if your lowest scoring color is 12 points, and you have two foxes, you would score an additional 24 points.

Final Round Rule: In the final round, players have only one turn each, regardless of the number of players in the game. This can significantly impact your strategy and should be taken into account when planning your moves.

Remember, the key to winning ‘That’s Pretty Clever’ is not just about scoring high points but also about making strategic decisions and managing your dice well.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

‘That’s Pretty Clever!’ is a delightful strategy board game that requires thoughtful planning and smart decision making. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes you should avoid, and ways to optimize your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Plan for the future: Always have a strategy in mind for future turns. Try to anticipate what dice will be available and plan accordingly.
Utilize the re-roll: The re-roll is a powerful tool. Use it wisely to try and get the exact roll you need.
Maximize your score in each color: Try to fill up as many spaces in each color as possible to maximize your points.

Beginner Tips:

Learn the scoring: Make sure you understand how scoring works. It’s crucial to know what earns you points and what doesn’t.
Experiment with different strategies: Don’t be afraid to try different strategies. Each game is different, so what works one time might not work the next.
Don’t ignore the foxes: The foxes can provide a significant point boost. Make sure to pay attention to them.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring certain colors: Each color has its own unique benefits. Ignoring one color could mean missing out on valuable points.
Using re-rolls too early: Save your re-rolls for when you really need them. Using them too early can leave you in a difficult situation later on.
Not planning ahead: ‘That’s Pretty Clever’ is a game of strategy. Not planning your moves ahead of time can lead to missed opportunities.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Keep track of your opponents’ moves: By doing this, you can anticipate what dice they might leave you and plan accordingly.
Use your bonus actions wisely: These can be game changers. Make sure to use them at the right time to maximize their effect.
Focus on high scoring areas: Some areas of the game provide more points than others. Try to focus your efforts on these areas.