Sequence

1 Game Overview

Sequence is one of the most accessible strategy games ever made — simple enough for young kids, tactical enough to keep adults genuinely engaged. The board displays all 104 playing cards (a standard deck minus jokers, doubled), and players try to build sequences of five chips in a row by playing matching cards from their hand.

The genius of Sequence is the jack mechanic: one-eyed jacks let you remove any opponent's chip, while two-eyed jacks let you place on any empty space. These wildcards create constant tactical tension and dramatic reversals.

Sequence works brilliantly for 2–12 players by using teams, making it one of the few games that genuinely scales well for large groups.

2 What's in the Box

• 1 game board (10x10 grid showing all 104 cards)
• 2 full decks of cards (104 cards total)
• 50 blue chips, 50 green chips, 50 red chips
• 1 rule booklet

3 Setup

1. Place the board in the center of the table. The four corners are free spaces — they count for everyone and don't need chips.
2. Divide into teams: 2 teams for 2–4 or 6–10 players; 3 teams for 3, 6, or 9 players. Players on a team sit alternating around the table.
3. Each team picks a chip color. Players draw cards to determine who deals first (lowest card deals).
4. Deal cards: 2 players get 7 each; 3-4 players get 6 each; 6 players get 5 each; 8-10 players get 4 each; 12 players get 3 each.
5. Shuffle remaining cards and place as a draw pile. Players maintain their hand size throughout the game.

4 Playing the Game

On your turn:

1. Play a card: Choose one card from your hand and place it face-up on a discard pile.
2. Place a chip: Put one of your team's chips on the corresponding space on the board. Each card appears twice on the board — you choose which space.
3. Draw a card: Draw the top card from the draw pile to replace the one you played. Always keep the correct number of cards in hand.

Jack Rules

• Two-Eyed Jack (♣J, ♦J): Wild card. Play it to place a chip on any open space on the board.
• One-Eyed Jack (♥J, ♠J): Remove any one opponent's chip from any space on the board. That space is now open again. You cannot remove a chip that is part of a completed sequence.

5 Building Sequences

A sequence is 5 chips of the same color in a row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The four corner spaces count as wild chips for everyone.

When you complete a sequence, announce it and leave those chips in place. They cannot be broken up by one-eyed jacks.

Win Conditions

• 2 teams: First team to complete 2 sequences wins.
• 3 teams: First team to complete 1 sequence wins.

A chip can be part of two different sequences — very useful for building your second sequence from your first.

6 Strategy Tips

• Control the center: The center of the board has more possible sequence paths than the edges. Chip placement in the middle is usually worth more.
• Save one-eyed jacks: These are most powerful when an opponent is one chip away from completing a sequence. Timing matters.
• Plan for your second sequence using your first: Position your first completed sequence so it shares chips with your eventual second sequence.
• Watch what opponents discard: You can infer what they need. If someone hasn't played a card in a certain section, they might be holding it.