Overview

Espresso Doppio is a puzzle-like abstract game where players manipulate coffee cups, saucers, and spoons on a placemat to match patterns shown on their task cards. The placemat has five place settings, and players arrange three sets of items in three different colors to fulfill objectives. Each turn allows three moves or exchanges, and the first player to complete all their task cards across two rounds wins.

Components

• 1 placemat (table runner with 5 place settings)
• 3 cups in 3 different colors (9 total)
• 3 saucers in 3 different colors (9 total)
• 3 spoons in 3 different colors (9 total)
• Task cards (8 per player deck)
• Coffee bean scoring tokens

Setup

1. Spread the table runner / placemat as the playing surface.
2. Place the cups, saucers, and spoons on the placemat in starting positions.
3. Each player receives a deck of 8 task cards.
4. Each player draws 3 task cards and lays them face-up in front of themselves.

Turn Structure

On your turn:

1. Perform up to 3 moves or exchanges on the placemat. You may move, swap, or rearrange cups, saucers, and spoons across the five settings.
2. Check task cards. If the items on the placemat match the combination depicted on one or more of your face-up task cards, score those cards and collect coffee bean tokens.
3. Draw new task cards so that you always have 3 face-up task cards in front of you.

Actions

Moves and Exchanges

Each turn, the active player is allowed 3 moves or exchanges. A move consists of:

• Moving an item (cup, saucer, or spoon) from one setting to another.
• Swapping two items between settings.
• Rearranging the placement within or between settings.

Placement Rules

• Two of the same item type (e.g., two saucers or two cups) can never be on the same setting.
• You can mix or match colors as you wish across the five settings.

Scoring Task Cards

If after your moves the placemat configuration matches the pattern shown on one or more of your task cards, you score those cards and collect the corresponding coffee bean points.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Two Rounds

The game is played over two rounds:

1. Round 1: Play through your deck of 8 task cards.
2. Round 2: Once a player has scored all 8 cards, players swap their decks of task cards, shuffle them, then reveal 3 new task cards and continue playing.

Game End

Once a player has scored 8 cards in the second round of play, the game ends.

Winning

The player who has collected the most coffee bean tokens across both rounds wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• You must always have exactly 3 face-up task cards in front of you (draw replacements immediately after scoring).
• You can score multiple task cards on the same turn if the placemat configuration satisfies more than one.
• Items cannot be removed from the placemat – only moved between settings.
• The maximum of 3 moves per turn creates a spatial puzzle challenge.
• Players may plan their moves to set up future turns while also trying to disrupt patterns that help opponents.

Player Reference

Turn: Up to 3 moves/exchanges > Check and score matching task cards > Draw new cards to 3

Placement rule: No two identical item types on the same setting

Items: Cups, saucers, spoons in 3 colors across 5 settings

Rounds: Complete 8 task cards twice (swap decks between rounds)

Win condition: Most coffee bean tokens after both rounds