Introduction:

The “Berd” is an ancient word that stands for a fortress or prison. The goal of the game is to collect the most tokens of any color by the end of the game. Playing pieces in the Berd game have ability to attach/detach to each other. That allows players to move a stack of tokens like a single unit and split the structure when needed. Using interlocking blocks players can create towers and a certain type of tower - Berd has unique properties that make this game special.

The design of the game is specially made simple underlying an easy and logical concept of the game. However the Berd is a serious game and players have to think strategically to win. Also, the board without a theme allows to play many different Berd games.

The board of the Berd game has a shape of a square castle from top view. In fact the starting/finishing corner squares were designed larger for accommodating four stacks of tokens.

Berd is the only game that offers options of the abstract strategy game; strategy game with dice; trading game; team game and combinations of all the above.

Berd game can be setup in few seconds. Duration of any option of the Berd game depends on how many tokens are played. So players can set up a rapid game of 10 minutes or a long game of 90 minutes. The Berd game for two players may last less than 5 minutes.

Berd game can be adjusted for luck and strategy. By employing more tokens in the game it becomes heavier in strategy.

Berd game perfectly fits for tournaments because players can accumulate tokens (or points) in series of games with different players.

The interlocking blocks in the “Berd” game are made of high quality ABS plastic with thick walls, so they can last forever without wearing and breaking.

The Berd game is ideal for educating children, especially when using value assigned tokens. The game can also help developing strategic thinking.

The Berd game was granted U.S. utility Patent#9962603B2

"Berd" is a registered trademark.

Game setting

At the beginning of the game players choose color of tokens they will play. All players will get equal number of tokens. Then players throw one die for determining who will select the starting/finishing corner the first. The highest scored player will select his/her starting corner the first. Other players will follow in descending order placing stack of their tokens on any starting corner they want. Players can start from the same corner. The highest scored player will start the game following by other players in clockwise direction.

Some definitions:

1. Tower – a stack of 2 or more tokens (any color). The color of the token on top represents who owns that tower.
2. Berd – two or more tokens of the same color stacked on each other on the top of a tower. A Berd is considered a protected tower.
3. UT – Unprotected Token/Tower => a single token or a tower which is not a Berd. An unprotected tower moves like a single token.
4. Double – when you roll the same number on each die. In this case, you are to play the number 4 times.
5. Active Token – a token is still on the board that hasn’t been captured.
6. Inactive token — a token captured in a tower or Berd by other color token. Inactive tokens always stacked under the active tokens.
7. Active Player – a player who still has active token(s).
8. Recovering inactive token - a player can recover his/her inactive token(s), captured in an unprotected tower, by landing on that tower. In this case the player will create a Berd by re-stacking his/her tokens on the top.

Process of the game

Players roll a pair of dice and move UTs (unprotected tokens/towers) on the board by counting squares in the clockwise direction. You can play with one UT both scores of the dice, or play each value of the die by different UT. You must move an unprotected tower like a single unit with captured tokens attached underneath of your token. Players will capture opponent’s UT when land on them. However, you can’t capture a Berd and you can’t land on a square occupied by the Berd. If you capture an unprotected tower that contains your color token(s) inside, then you will restack the whole tower and put your color tokens on the top, creating a Berd. There is no limit of capturing other tokens. However, if you create a Berd, you cannot move it whole. You have to split up your Berd and play token(s) or unprotected tower(s) from your Berd separately. If your Berd contains captured tokens, they must be attached to at least one of your tokens whether moving or staying. You can split captured tokens in any combination when splitting your Berd but they must be attached under your token(s). When you roll a double, you will play the scored points four times. That is a great advantage especially with Berd because you can move two or more tokens simultaneously, so they will remain protected. When a player finishes his/her token by reaching the starting corner, this player will collect one token from each active player. In order to finish, you don’t have to land exactly on the corner square that you started from; you can go over. Other players should decide what color and from where to give a token to the finished player. They can give any token in their possession, whether from the board or from already finished tokens. When finishing, you only get tokens based on how many of your own color tokens finished.
The game is over when only one active player remains. The winner is the player who collected the most tokens of any color. Tokens left on the board are not counted. You can just stack all your collected tokens and compare to see whose tower is taller.

Variations of the game

This game set has many game options:

1. Short path simple game – this is a basic Berd game played on the side of the folding board with a shorter path. This game lasts about 25 minutes (4 players x 9 tokens). The duration of the game can be shortened with fewer players and/or using fewer tokens

2. Long path simple game – this is a basic Berd game played on the side of folding board with a longer path. This game lasts about 40 minutes (4 players x 9 tokens)

3. Game with color protection – both 1 and 2 games can be played with color protection. Players can use colored squares on the board for protection from being captured by the opponents token. For example: Blue color player’s single token or unprotected tower will be protected on the Blue square. Other players can’t capture the Blue token on the blue square and they can’t land on the blue square if it’s occupied by the Blue token. The rest of the game rules are same as for the basic Berd game

4. Game with points – 1, 2, and 3 games can be played with points. Each color tokens have different weights/points (10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60; 70; 80 and 90), shown on the tokens. This option of the game provides more possibilities for moves. The winner will be a player who collects highest total score. In order to play this version of the game you need to attach stickers with numbers. There are lines on the sides of the token for even attachment.

5. Game with hidden numbers – 1, 2, and 3 games can be played with tokens that have hidden numbers (numbers are not displayed outside, they are attached inside). This game is similar to game #4 with the difference that only the player who possesses a token can see the weight of that token. This feature introduces more intrigue and uncertainty about end result of the game. Also this version of game allows players to bet.

6. Berd game without dice – this game is quite different from the race game on the path. It is a two player game and played on a small two sided square board. One side has 3×3 squares and other side has 4×4 squares. The goal of the game is to collect more tokens than your opponent. At the beginning of the game players setup their tokens on base lines (the first line from each side) opposing each other. Players collect token(s) crossing the board starting from their base line and finishing - passing opponent’s baseline. Players move their UT (unprotected token or Unprotected tower) one square at a time forward or lateral move. You can’t move your UT diagonally or backward. While you can move your UT laterally however you can’t do more than three consecutive side moves. After the third consecutive side movement a player must do next move forward. After the forward move you can do side movement again. You can’t land on a square occupied by your opponent’s Berd. A player can recover his/her captured token(s) from opponent’s unprotected tower by landing on that tower. In this case the player will re-stack tokens and place his/her tokens on the top creating a Berd. In order to play a token from the Berd you have to split the Berd and play a single token or unprotected tower. If there are captured tokens in the Berd they must be attached at least under one of your token. The game is over when only one player has active token(s) left on the board. Now players can stack their collected tokens and see whose tower is taller or who collected more tokens.

7. Berd game without dice with color protection -this game is similar to game #3 in terms of the color protection

8. Berd game without dice and with points – this game is similar to game #4 in terms of number consideration

9. Berd game without dice with hidden numbers – this game is similar to game #5 in terms of number consideration.

10. Berd Team game – this game option can be played by two or more teams. Each player will play with his/her color tokens. The goal of the team to collect the most tokens (or points). Players of the same team can land on the squares occupied by teammate and stack the tokens in one tower. If there was a Berd on that square it will protect all tokens of the team. Team also can share the captured tokens. That is a great advantage for the team, since they can decide when and how many captured tokens to move. When finishing a token only rival team members will pay token(s). The game is over when only one team has active player(s).

11. Game with trading options: In this game players can trade captured token(s) with other players. All players will start the game with same count of tokens and some cash. The goal of the game is to accumulate the most capital (cash + value of collected tokens). Each token at the end of the game will worth certain amount of money predetermined at the beginning of the game. During the game players can redeem captured token(s) by paying cash or swapping with other token(s). The market value of the captured token will vary depending on the location on the board and a possibility to recover it. Because the captured token will have a fixed value when finished a player, who captured the token can negotiate higher price. On the other hand a player who wants to redeem his token may want to pay higher price because active tokens can potentially capture other tokens. Players can negotiate a trade only at their turn. After redemption a token must be started from the starting corner. When a player finishes a token, all other active players have to pay one token or pay cash for the finished token. Depending on the board situation each player will decide what method of payment is a better. The winner of the game will be a player who accumulates more capital => (Number of collected tokens) x Price + Cash.

12. Game with points and trading options: This game is similar to the Berd game#11 with one difference => when a player finishes a token other players will pay by token or pay the price indicated on the finished token. At the end of the game players calculate the total value of collected tokens + cash. The value of a token is a number/price on the sticker. The winner is a player who collected the most capital.

13. Game with a goal to collect certain numbers – in this game a player tries to collect some certain tokens with same number on sticker (for example tokens with number 20). If there are 4 players in the game then maximum quantity of any number will be 4. The first player who collects all 4 numbers will win the game. If the game finished earlier then the winner is a player who collected the most of the specified number tokens. In this game players follow same Berd playing concept but for the finished token other players don’t pay tokens. Also players are not required to finish their tokens when passing their start/finish corner, - they can continue playing these tokens.

All the above game variations can be played with different quantity of tokens. The more tokens employed in the game the heavier it will be in strategy.

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