• Triple Triad: The Rules

    Rules:
    There are many rules in Triple Triad, and how many are used varies from town to town. Rules in a town can also be combined with another town's rules, if a traveller visits who is used to a different style of playing.

    Basic Rules:
    Cards are placed on a 3 by 3 grid, and each player takes turns putting a card down. Before the game, each player chooses five cards from their stock to use for the game. The person who goes first is determined randomly, and then the game begins. Players take turns putting their cards down, and the object of the game is to have the majority of the cards be yers when the grid is full. Players can tell which cards are theirs by the color of the cards. The cards are double sided, and each player picks a color. When they win a card, they flip it over so it becomes their color.

    Same:
    With the Same rule, if a card is placed down that has the same value as adjacent cards of the opponent, than those cards are flipped over.

    Plus:
    Using the Plus rule, if a card is placed down that adds up to the same value on two or more adjacent cards of the opponent, than those cards are flipped over.

    Combo:
    With combo, any cards that are turned over using the Same or Plus rule can turn over adjacent cards of the opponent as well. For example, if a card is turned over to a player's side by using the Combo rule, that card can turn over even more of the opponent's cards if it has a greater value.

    Same Wall:
    This rule uses the frame of the card grid as 1 of the 4 card's sides when using the Same rule.

    Elemental:
    With the Elemental rule, elements randomly appear on the Triple Triad board. These elements are Thunder, Earth, Ice, Wind, Poison, Fire, and Water. There is also a star that sometimes appears. If a card is placed on a rectangle that has an element, its values either increase or decrease by 1. If it is not the same element as the one displayed, its value decreases by one. For example, if an Ifrit card, which if Fire elemental, is placed on an Ice elemental grid, its 9-6-2-8 value is reduced to 8-5-1-7. However, if a card is placed on an element, and the card has that element as well, its values go up by one. If a card is placed on a star, its value is automatically reduced by one.

    Open:
    With the Open rule, the opponent can see all of yer cards before you place them on the grid, and vice versa. Knowing yer players cards can add to the strategy of the game, so this rule is helpful to the experienced card player, but not the beginner.

    Random:
    With the random rule, players can not pick their cards before a match, they are randomly picked for them. This can be very frustrating for a player that has good cards, but some bad ones as well.

    Sudden Death:
    With this rule, the players continue to play until somebody wins, there cannot be a tie. In the event of a tie, the players take the cards that they had won in the tie and play once again. This will continue on forever until someone wins.

    One:
    With this rule the winner of the card games gets to take one of the cards his/her opponent used during the match. This is good for players who prefer a low-risk game.

    Direct:
    With the Direct rule, the winner takes all of the cards they had won in the match, and the loser takes the remaining cards. This is a very risky rule, becuase even if a player wins, they might lose one of their favorite cards to the opponent. Card players should play with extreme caution with the Direct rule, and take great care to prevent the better cards from getting turned over.

    Diff:
    The Diff rule allows the winner to take the number of the opponents cards by which he/she has won by. For example, if the final score in 7 to 3, the winner takes four of the cards that the opponent used during the game. If they player wins by five or more, they simply take all of the cards their opponent used.

    All:
    With the All rule, the winner of the match takes all of the cards. This is a very risky rule, and players should not play with the All rule if they are not confident that they can win.