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HOW TO PLAY
What is a ZingaMino™?
A ZingaMino™ is a domino-like tile with colored dots that represent a point value. There are four color groups that match colors on the game board (Orange, Green, Purple and
Yellow) and sixteen tiles in each color group. Each tile contains a combination of two numbers, including doubles. The point values range from 0 to 4.
The accompanying ZingaMino™ board has four connecting colored circles with bridging squares for doubles or “wild tiles” (Zingas™).
What is a ZingaMino™?
A ZingaMino™ is a special “wild” ZingaMino™ tile that can be worth whatever the player or placement determines. Its point value for scoring purposes is 16. The word Zinga™
comes from Swahili and means to “turn in circles.”
How to Play:
Players:
Suited for 2 -8 players. Best played with 3-4 players.
Object:
To Win a Round:
Be the first to play out all your ZingaMino™ tiles to score the point sum of the ZingaMino™ left in the remaining players’ hands.
To Win the Game:
Be the first to score 64 points from cumulative rounds.
The Challenge:
You must place your ZingaMino™ tiles in connecting order within their matching colored circle, playing one ZingaMino™ each turn. If you do not have a tile to place you must draw a new tile. Like Dominos, you can pass a turn and remain in the game once the draw tiles are depleted. You will use strategy to block your opponents and optimize your placement opportunities. But be careful. What goes around comes around in ZingaMino™!
RULES
1. To begin the game each player picks one ZingaMino™ from the pouch. The player who has the highest number (adding the numbers on the ZingaMino™) starts the game.
(In subsequent rounds, the winner starts.) The highest regular ZingaMino™ value is 4|4 for 8. A Zinga™ (the “wild” tile) is worth 16. If two players have ZingaMino™ of equal value, everyone draws again. Tiles drawn are replaced in the ZingaMino™ draw bag after
the starter is determined.
2. Each player draws 8 ZingaMino™ tiles in two turns of four each from the bag. (No peeking.) Place your ZingaMinos™ face down or conceal them in your hand. You do
not want your opponents to know what you’re holding.
3. For the opening turn of play, you must place either a Double ZingaMino™ tile (0|0,1|1, 2|2, 3|3, 4|4) or a Zinga™ tile into the Zinga™/Double square of the corresponding color circle. Each player in the first round must play a Double or Zinga™, OR must dig from the ZingaMino™ bag until a Double or a Zinga™ is drawn
for play. This may mean you could start the game with several ZingaMinos™ you will now be in a race to get rid of.
4. Play continues clockwise. Players may now place one regular ZingaMino™a Double, or a Zinga™ on any spot in a circle as long as:
- the color matches and
- the tile end matches an adjacent tile already in the circle
- only Doubles or Zingas™ can be placed in the spaces marked Zingas™/Doubles
- to fill in a space between two ZingaMino™ tiles, each end of the tile must match EACH adjacent tile
- a Zinga™ tile played in the connector Zinga™/Doubles spaces that join the circles holds the value of the adjacent connector space.
If there is no tile in the adjacent connector space, the Zinga™ tile absorbs the value of the regular adjacent square inside its color circle (if a tile is already there) or the subsequent tile value if one is played
after Zinga™ placement.
*** If you are not familiar with standard Dominos rules, you may wish to read the play setup examples shown on the back of this pamphlet to review these play conditions.
5. When a player has nothing to play, he or she must continue to pull ZingaMino™ tiles from the bag until he/she gets a ZingaMino™ tile that can be played.
6. If a player completes a circle during the game, he or she gets an extra 16 points regardless of whether he or she wins that round.
7. The round is over when one of two things happens:
A) A player plays all his or her ZingaMino™ tiles and calls out ZINGA™! The winner now collects and counts the value of tiles in remaining players’ hands and adds that to his or her score sheet.
B) There are no more ZingaMino™ tiles left inside the draw pouch and all possible circles are blocked so there is no way to place any of the remaining tiles. In this case, players tally their ZingaMino™ values. The person with the LOWEST sum is the winner, and then collects the other points to tally his or her score.
Now you’re ready for another round! Be sure to thoroughly mix the ZingaMino™ tiles. The player who won the last round begins the next. Please review the diagrams on the back for more examples!
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PLAY EXAMPLES:
1. A Typical Play that closes one circle, worth
an extra 16 points, would show the following in a
circle of any color: 0|0, 0|2, 2|4, 4|1, 1|1, 1|2, 2|2,
02|3, Z|Z (Zinga™/Zinga™), 3|3, 3|0, 0|4, 4|4, 4|3,
3|1 AND THE COMPLETING TILE would be 1|0,
which connects to the 0|0 that is in the bridging
space.
2. A Complex Play wherein a Zinga™ is used in
a bridging/connector space:
If the bridging/connector space is open on the right
circle, and the adjacent space in the next circle is a
3|3 (Double) AND the spaces on either side of the
connector space are open or match the 3, then a
player may use a Zinga™ wild tile to serve as a 3|3
Double.
However, the Zinga™ must hold its named value
when you connect to it. If you use a Zinga™ to be a
3|3, then a subsequent player must connect to your
Zinga™ with a 3 end.
If a 3-end is already in place next to a connector
square in the right circle and there is no tile in the
adjacent left circle’s Zinga™/Double connector
square, then a Zinga™ played on the Zinga™/
Double connector square absorbs the 3-value and
becomes 3|3 (as it must be a double to occupy that
spot.)
3. A Blocking Play would occur if there were a
2|2 played in the adjacent right Zinga™/Double
square AND a 3-end in the left square adjacent to
the desired placement, the Zinga™ is blocked and
cannot be placed in that square. Blocking is an
important strategy in the game, especially to
prevent closure of a circle (to avoid your opponent
getting an extra 16 points) and to prevent your
opponent from playing out all his or her tiles to end
the round.
© Dahmane Dahmani, Yanni Dahmani 2004
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Click Here!
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