The game of sequence is an exciting game of strategy.  It is simple to learn and fun to play.  The following are the sequence game rules.

Players

It can be played with two players or two teams.  If playing in teams be sure to divide the players evenly.  Alternate, players around the board, so that teammates are sitting opposite each other.

Before play begins.

Before you begin, lay the board out in front of all the players.  Each player or team should choose one color of chips.  Players should cut the deck, with the lowest card going first.  Aces are high.  The dealer will deal out the same number of cards to each player.  In the case of two players, each player gets 7 cards.  In the case of two teams, each player gets 6 cards.  The remaining cards form the draw pile to use through the game.

Always, begin the game with the player that drew the lowest card during the cut and continue in a clockwise direction.

On your turn.

Your turn will consist of four steps.  First, select a card from your hand that is vacant on the board.  Second, discard this chosen card face up in the pile.  Third, place one of your colored chips on the matching space on the game board.  Last, draw a new card from the deck.  Once you have taken your turn, you must remember to take a card from the deck.  In the sequence game rules it states that if you fail to take a card before the next player takes their turn you lose the right to draw a new card and must finish the game with less cards.

Special spaces.

The game board has four special spaces.  One in each corner.  These spaces are bonus spaces.  When using a corner only four additional cards are necessary to complete a sequence.  More than one player can use the same corner space.  For example:  it can be used in both a horizontal sequence for one team and a diagonal sequence for another.

Special cards.

There are eight jacks in the card deck.

Four jacks have two eyes.  These are wild and may be used for any space on the board.  On your turn, discard the wild jack and place your chip on any unoccupied space on the board.

The other four jacks have one eye.  These jacks remove a chip from the board.  Only chips that are not part of a completed sequence may be removed from the board.  Place the jack in the discard pile and remove the chip of your choice.

Dead Card.

A card that you cannot play because it already has a chip on it is a dead card.  This happens when a wild card is played to take that space and leaves you with a card you cannot play.  On your turn, place the unusable in the discard pile.  Let everyone know that you are replacing an unusable card and take a new card from the deck.  Your turn then continues as normal.

Winning.

To win you must complete two sequence strands.  A sequence is achieved when you have a row of five chips of the same color.  This can occur in any direction, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.  You may use any one of the spaces from one sequence in the second sequence.  Or, they may be anywhere else on the board.

The sequence game rules can be altered for three players or three teams.  It is played in the same manner as two players except only one sequence strand is necessary to win.

While the sequence game rules are simple the game itself is one of strategy and skill.  Because no two games are ever quite the same it is an exciting game for anyone at any age level.