GUBS - A game of wit and luck

Download Rules

Flash Tutorial

F.A.Q.

Tips & Strategies

Click here to view the official GUBS rule sheet. You can also find this file posted here, on the GUBS listing at www.boardgamegeek.com.

Spanish GUBS Rules! Now available, thanks to Fernando Abad for his generous translation, you can find the GUBS rule sheet in Spanish. Click here for the Spanish rule sheet.

Chinese GUBS Rules! Coming soon!

** You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open these files.**

Tiebreaker rules

"The current Tie Breaker rule is for players who have tied to deal up the remainder of the deck between them. First one to receive a Gub wins.

An alternate rule, created by Carlos Robledo, is for the players who have tied to immediately discard all Gubs from their hand. Then, continue to play. The first player to bring a Gub to their side (by playing it or stealing from another player) is the winner. Likewise, if one player loses a Gub in this 'Sudden Death' match, they are out of the running for the win."

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Want to learn how to play GUBs without reading the rules? Watch this tutorial and learn in just a couple minutes.

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Lots of people have questions when they learn a new game. If you've got one, check here first. This is a list of the most commonly asked questions about GUBs.

1. Do I have to play a Gub when I draw one?: No, the only cards that must be played immediately when they are drawn are the Event Cards.
2. Can I continue to play cards on my turn after drawing an Event Card?: Yes. The only obvious exception is if the game is ended.
3. Can the Esteemed elder hide under a Barricade? Can he be retrieved from the discard pile with the Age-Old Cure?: No. When in play, the Elder is immune to all cards in the deck, except for the Lightning or the Cricket Song played as Lightning. Therefore, he cannot use a Barricade... nor can he be retrieved from the discard pile with the Age Old Cure.
4. If I use a Spear to destroy a Sud Spout in play trapping an opponent's Gub, does that Gub come to my side?: No, the Gub stays wherever it currently sits, but it is now considered Free. Only Rings release their freed Gubs onto the side of the player who freed them.
5. What exactly does Dangerous Alchemy destroy?: All cards in play on your side, except for the Esteemed Elder. All Gubs, Barricades, and Traps in play in front of you are gathered up and put into the discard pile.
6. Can the Flop Boat be played to put a Letter Card back into the deck, even if it is the final Letter Card (which ends the game)?: Yes, because the Flop Boat is an Interrupt Tool which can be played the moment an Event Card is drawn but before that Event takes affect.
7. Do Omen Beetles eat my Mushrooms in play as well as my opponents?: ALL Mushrooms in play are consumed, even your own.
8. What happens when a Gub is stolen out from under a Sud Spout using the Smahl Thief?: The Sud Spout is discarded.
9. How do I play a Lure?: Discard a regular green Lure to take a Free Gub from play on your opponent's side and put it into play on your side (just drag it across the table and orient it so it faces you.)
10. How do I use the Cricket Song?: This card confuses new players because they are not yet familiar with how the different types of cards are played. Basically, this is a Wild Card that can be used as any Tool or Hazard that leaves play immediately. Therefore, it cannot be an Event Card, Gub, Barricade or Trap because these all remain in play.
11. Does Rumor of Wasps affect all players?: Yes. All Toad Riders in play are affected.
12. How do I save my hand from being shuffled back into the deck when the Gargok Plague is drawn?: If you have an Age-Old Cure card, discard this card and keep your hand.
13. What is the use of the Retreat card?: Essentially it allows you to reorganize and reinforce your colony by taking all cards in play on your side (even those played by your opponents) back into your hand and replaying them for your benefit. Just remember the eight card limit at the end of your turn!
14. How many cards can I play during my turn?: As many as you are capable of playing.

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Here's some tips and strategies to help you be a better GUBs player.

Card combos are the most effective moves. Consider this: player A, on their turn, might play a Mushroom to destroy an opponent's Mushroom and make the Gub beneath it Free, Lure the Gub over to their side, play another Mushroom on it to Barricade it, and then play Lightning to make their opponent discard their hand. Many different options are available, be sure to consider the best use of your cards as they work together.

Don't horde Gubs in your hand. It's ok to keep them here for a while, but waiting to use them at the end of the game is not always a good strategy. There are several cards which can make you lose your hand, plus if the game ends they do not count for points. While it is true there are many cards which steal Gubs that are in play, you at least know that players will attempt to keep them in play (and thus giving you an opportunity to steal them back.)

When 2 out of the 3 Letter Cards are out on the table, start playing more aggressively. The game could end with any draw at this point. Also, don't forget you have the option of passing on your draw phase. You can still play cards without drawing a card, but you cannot draw after playing cards on your turn.

Don't forget that Barricades can sometimes be used to destroy other Barricades in play.

Sometimes it can be to your advantage to play Hazards against yourself... consider the Sud Spout. If you play a Sud Spout on your own Gub, he is immune to many other Hazards because they are mostly played against Free Gubs. But don't forget you'll need a Spear card to get the Gub out of the Sud Spout to make it count for points again.

Remember to tell the next person when it is their turn. The game should move fairly quickly, and sometimes you'll draw a card but play nothing. Timing is important, don't feel like you always have to do something every turn.

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