Overview
Let’s learn how to use your brand new CHEMISTRY SET! It contains enough supplies to entertain two players, and a game takes about 15 minutes from start to finish. No previous experience with chemistry is required, or even suggested!
Atom Cards
These are ATOM CARDS. You'll use them to build MOLECULES.
Fig. 1 — Atom cards.
Experiment Cards
Which molecules will you build? Great question! That’s where EXPERIMENT CARDS come in.
Fig. 2 — Experiment cards.
Players (that’s you!) can score POINTS by using their atom cards to build the molecules shown on experiment cards.
That’s just science!
Setup
1. Separate the atom cards from the experiment cards.
2. Shuffle the experiment cards. Then deal out THREE from the carbon set, THREE from the oxygen set, and FOUR from the nitrogen set, placing them face-up where both players can see them. (The back of each experiment card helpfully tells you which set it belongs to.)
Fig. 3 — Setting up experiment cards.
3. Shuffle the atom cards and deal FIVE to each player, face-down. Keep the atom cards you’ve been dealt (your “hand,” in technical terms) secret from your opponent.
4. Place the remaining atom cards face-down in the center of your work area.
5. If a player has FEWER THAN TWO total C/O/N (carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen) cards in their initial hand, they may discard that hand and draw a new one. (Researchers call this "taking a mulligan.") Each player may do this as many times as necessary.
6. Decide which player will go first. (There is no accepted scientific methodology for doing this, so get creative!)
Matching Molecules
Chemistry has rules!
The molecules on experiment cards are shown as DIAGRAMS. When you build a molecule, your atom cards must be arranged to match. (Pay extra attention to how the DOUBLE BOND cards are placed.)
Here are some examples of properly-built molecules:
Fig. 4 — Some properly-built molecules. (Satisfying!)
Taking Turns
At the start of their turn, a player may choose to discard any of their incomplete molecules.
Then the player will build molecules by performing ACTIONS, either ONE or TWO per turn.
What’s an action? Glad you asked!
Playing a C/O/N (carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen) card to start a new molecule.
Playing a C/O/N card next to another atom card that is already in play.
Playing up to FOUR hydrogen cards next to a SINGLE C/O/N card that is already in play.
Playing a double bond card between two adjacent C/O/N cards that are already in play.
Playing a double bond card and a C/O/N card at the same time, such that the double bond is connected to the new C/O/N card.
Discarding any number of atom cards and IMMEDIATELY drawing back up to a total hand of five.
When a player is finished taking actions, they’ll draw more atom cards, back up to a total hand of five.
When there are no more atom cards left in the draw pile, shuffle the discard pile and continue drawing from it.
This ENDS THEIR TURN.
Restrictions
That sounds easy, fun, and safe, and it is! But there are some restrictions to keep in mind:
- Each player can only build TWO MOLECULES at a time.
- Players can only build on THEIR OWN molecules, not their opponent's.
- On the very first turn of the game, the player who goes first can only take ONE action.
- On every other turn, a player can choose to take either ONE or TWO actions.
- If a player does choose to take TWO actions, they cannot both target the same molecule.
Rearranging Molecules
Chemistry has rules, but those rules have some exceptions!
Players generally cannot rearrange their molecules as they are being built: A hydrogen card next to a carbon card cannot simply be moved to another position or molecule.
However, players are allowed to rearrange their molecules at any time as long as:
- No atom cards are added or removed.
- All of the CARBON and NITROGEN cards are adjacent to the same atom cards as before.
- All of the DOUBLE BOND cards are between the same atom cards as before.
Legal Rearrangements
This is a legal rearrangement, because the carbon card is still adjacent to ONE oxygen card and TWO hydrogen cards.
Fig. 5 — A legal rearrangement.
Illegal Rearrangements
This is an illegal rearrangement, because the carbon card is now adjacent to THREE hydrogen cards instead of TWO.
Fig. 6 — An illegal rearrangement.
(Coincidence Chemical Co. is not responsible for accidents or injuries resulting from illegal rearrangements.)
Scoring Points
If a player completes the molecule on one of the experiment cards currently in play, then at the END OF THEIR TURN, that player takes the experiment card and scores the number of points listed on it. Neither player may complete this experiment again for the rest of the game. Discard the atom cards used to build the molecule.
The game ends when a player scores at least 10 POINTS, or when all experiments have been completed.
But not so fast! When a player initiates the end of the game, their opponent may take one last action. Whichever player then has the higher score, even if they weren’t the player to initiate the end of the game, will WIN THE GAME.
Example
Fig. 7 — An example game in progress.
Research Variant
Scientific progress is built on the research of others, even when they don't get credit! Try making some fresh discoveries with your CHEMISTRY SET and its exciting new RESEARCH VARIANT.
When a player uses the discard action during their turn, they no longer place the cards in the discard pile. Instead, those cards are placed face-up into the RESEARCH PILE. Fan the cards in this pile out slightly, so that both players can see its contents, for research!
Fig. 8 — The research pile.
When a player draws back up to five cards at the end of their turn, they may draw cards from both the top of the draw pile and anywhere in the research pile.
When the draw pile is empty, shuffle and reuse the discard pile, but leave the research pile as-is.
When a molecule is completed, it should still be placed in the discard pile.
Solitaire Variant
Did you know that your CHEMISTRY SET can work with just one player? It’s true!
Deal yourself TEN experiment cards using the regular setup rules (THREE from the carbon set, THREE from the oxygen set, and FOUR from the nitrogen set).
Deal yourself FIVE atom cards. (Don’t worry about keeping them secret from your opponent, since you don't have one.)
The rules are nearly the same as those above, but YOU MAY NOT USE THE DISCARD ACTION. Instead, at the end of each turn, you MUST DISCARD ALL BUT ONE of your atom cards and draw back up to a total hand of five cards.
- Ignore the rule about taking a mulligan and redealing if you have no C/O/N cards in your hand at the start of the game. (Researchers call this "tough luck.")
- Ignore the rule about the first player taking only one action on their first turn. (You can take TWO!)
- Ignore the rule about taking one final action at the end of the game.
When you run out of atom cards, do not reshuffle or redeal.
The game is over, and you WIN THE GAME if you’ve scored at least 10 POINTS.
FAQ
If you have any questions about the rules, please email zach@coincidence.games to help us improve them.