Above Water Reference Sheet

ABOVE WATER
PLAYER REFERENCE SHEET

GROUPS OF CARDS

Category	Description	Payment
Set	Two or more cards of the same denomination.	4 stones for each card after the first.
Run	Two or more consecutive cards of the same suit.	4 stones for each card after the first.
Straight	Two or more consecutive cards of any combination of suits.	3 stones for each card after the first.
Cloud	Five cards of the same color.	10 stones.
Synergy bonus	Two or more sets are turned in simultaneously with cards in exactly the same suits.	3 extra stones for each set after the first.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

One card for each player in the game is dealt face-up for auction.
Beginning with the starting player, players bid on cards until everyone has place a bid. If a player is overbid, he or she rebids immediately.
Players pay for and collect their cards.<>
<>Spending Phase. Any groups of cards turned in now are recorded on players’ dice and count toward the Big Spender Bonus.
Whoever turns in the most cards during the Spending Phase collects the Big Spender Bonus: one card from the deck. If there is a tie, all tied players receive a card.
All players must pay ante. Any who cannot are eliminated. Ante begins at 4 and increases by 1 each time the deck is exhausted.
Starting player token rotates to the left.

Players may negotiate, trade, or turn in groups of cards for payment at any time.

ACES
Ace of clubs: Changes the suit of 1 or 2 other cards when you turn them in.
Ace of diamonds: Play it face up. Place one stone on it during ante. Discard whenever you like and collect all the stones.
Ace of hearts: Take three cards from the deck.
Ace of spades: Play it during the auction to snatch a card (or pair of cards in a special auction) for free. The card (or pair of cards) is replaced, and the player who bid on it (if any) must rebid. May not be used on jokers.

Above Water Rules

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