Bully is an exciting and unpredictable game of memory, chance, and strategy. It is a two player card game played with two ordinary card decks with different backs (eg: blue versus red). Each deck contains 2 Jokers.
Cards are placed on a checkered grid and played against one another in bouts. Low cards are removed from the grid as challenges are made. High card may 'bully' your opponent's neighboring cards or can be relocated in attempt to defend your own cards or set a trap. The last player with playable cards on the grid wins.
Highest card wins except:
Aces beat all cards except Jokers
Jokers bet all cards except 2s
2s beat Jokers
(2) Card Set-up
Each player shuffles their deck and divides their cards into piles of 5 cards.
There will be 10 piles of 5 cards and 4 remaining cards.
Players place piles of 5 cards in a checkered grid, 5 piles wide and 4 piles deep.
Each player distributes remaining 4 cards anywhere on their own piles.
(3) Game Play
First player initiates bout by exposing the top card from their pile, turning the card over and placing it on top of drawn pile.
The other player responds by exposing the top card from their pile positioned immediately horizontally or vertically next to initiated card.
The player with the card with the highest value takes loser's card.
The winner then turns their winning card back over on top of the same pile it was played from or relocates it to any of their available depleted pile (an area with no cards remaining).
Players take turns initiating bouts by exposing a top card from any of their piles.
A player can only initiate a play with a card that is positioned vertically or horizontally next to an opponent's card.
Player wins when opponent has no remaining cards to play.
(4) Tapping
A player may respond to an initiated card by tapping a playable card without exposing it if its value is obvious to both players.
A player who won the last bout may initiates the next bout may keep their winning card exposed and tap on it.
(5) Tie Breakers
If the same card values are exposed, a tie breaker must be executed to determine the winner of the bout.
The player who initiated the bout turns over another card from any of their other playable piles (positioned vertically or horizontally next to their opponent's card).
The other player responds by exposing the top
card from another pile positioned immediately horizontally or
vertically next to that card.
The winner of the tie takes all the opponent's exposed cards.
The
winner may return their exposed cards (both tied and winning cards)
to their original face down positions or relocate them to any of their
available depleted areas.
(6) Relocating Cards
The winner of a bout can only move their exposed card(s) to one of their own depleted piles if it is available.
Immediately after a tie is broken, the winner may relocate any of their exposed cards to any of their own depleted piles, even if a depleted pile was created by relocating a last remaining card to another depleted pile.
A card may not be relocated to the top of an existing pile.
A card may not be relocated to an opponent's depleted pile.
A card may not be relocated to an area outside of the original grid.
Near the end of the game, if a player wins the last possible play (no remaining plays to be made), they must relocate that winning top card next to an opponent's pile, where a play can be made.
If a tie occurs on the only remaining playable cards and BOTH players have cards on OTHER areas of the grid, the initiating player must relocate one of their other cards, challenging the opponent's other pile as a tie breaker to that bout.
(7) Penalties
If a player accidentally turns over a card from their opponent's pile, the opponent is permitted to remove any one of the offender's unexposed top card from the grid. For example, If a player accidentally exposes his opponent's card after a tie has occurred, the opponent cannot take the exposed card, only an unexposed card at the top of another pile.
After a card has been removed, the game resumes with the offending player re-initiating a bout.
If a player makes an unintended play or accidentally exposes one of their top cards during their turn, they must play that card and cannot request a 'do-over'.