Sequence (game)

He spent years developing the concept, and, in June 1981, granted Jax Ltd. an exclusive license to manufacture, distribute and sell the board game Sequence and its subsequent variations.

[citation needed] Doug Reuter is acknowledged as the inventor of Sequence on all newly produced copies of the game - both on the box and in the printed rules.

With two teams, players alternate their physical positions with opponents around the playing surface.

The number of cards dealt to each player varies by the number of people playing: Each card is pictured twice on the game board, and Jacks (while necessary for game strategy) do not appear on the board.

Two-Eyed Jacks are considered wild cards and may be used to place a chip on any open space on the board.

This is because the rules explicitly state that players may use any single chip from their own first sequence as part of a second one.

The game ends when a player or team completes a set number of sequences.

Different from standard game play, chips from completed sequences may be removed to prevent opponents from scoring.

For added difficulty, players may opt not to reshuffle the deck when it runs out of cards.

Sequence can also be integrated into a drinking game for adults, where each player picks one (or two) number or face cards.

An alternative method of play is to apply the Camden Throwdown technique in which half of the normal rules are thrown out in exchange for a streamlined version of the structured game or activity.

Sudden Death Overtime: When one player/ team completes their final sequence necessary to win, an overtime period of play can be forced if the next player/team can complete their final sequence needed on their next turn.

An optional rule in the rulebook requires the player forming a sequence on the board to announce it.

This variation has become popular since 2010, because players felt like a small rule tweak was needed.

The four corner spaces on the board depict dice arranged in a "snake eyes" pattern, i.e. displaying one and one.

The four spaces in the center of the board depict dice showing a "boxcars" pattern or a double-six.

There are also three special rolls: During a series of legal disputes, Douglas Reuter claimed Jax violated its licensing agreement which would provide grounds for contract termination.

[7] A small group from Sanpete County, Utah claims to have created a similar game prior to Sequence called "Rooker" using Rook cards but were unsuccessful in securing a patent first.