Overview

Pizza Theory is an area-control game where players place toppings on a circular pizza board and simultaneously choose cutting lines to divide it into slices. In each slice, the player with the most toppings replaces all opponents’ toppings with their own. The first player to place all 16 of their toppings on the pizza wins.

Components

• 1 pizza game board (circular, with numbered cut lines and turn order indicators)
• 3 pizza cutters (wooden skewers in 3 player colors)
• 3 wooden dice (numbered 1-6, one per player color)
• 48 pizza toppings (16 cardboard disks in each of 3 player colors)
• Rules

Setup

1. Place the pizza board in the center of the table with each player directly facing one of the arrows on the board.
2. Randomly choose a starting player. Rotate the pizza so “1st” faces that player.
3. Each player takes a pizza cutter, a die, and the 16 toppings of their color.
4. Each player places 2 toppings on the two “X” starting spaces closest to them.

Turn Structure

Each round follows this sequence:

1. Add Toppings

In turn order (1st, 2nd, 3rd), each player adds 1 topping to the pizza on any empty space that is not adjacent to any of their own toppings. If no valid spaces exist, skip this step.

2. Cut Pizza

All players simultaneously choose a number (1-6) on their die and place it face-down on the table, hidden by cupping their hand. Once all players have chosen, reveal all dice. Each player places their pizza cutter across the pizza on the corresponding numbered line facing them. No announcing or revealing choices before everyone has decided.

3. Replace Toppings

The cuts divide the pizza into slices. In each slice:

• The player with the most toppings replaces all opponents’ toppings in that slice with their own. Removed toppings return to their owners.
• In a 2-way tie for most toppings, the third player’s toppings are removed but not replaced.
• In a 3-way tie, no toppings are removed.
• Safety Rule: If a player has no more than 1 topping in any slice across the entire board, all of that player’s toppings are safe and cannot be removed or replaced this round.

4. Rotate the Pizza

Remove all pizza cutters and return dice to hands. Rotate the pizza clockwise following the arrows until each player has a new turn order designation in front of them. Begin a new round.

Actions

Players have two main decisions each round:

1. Topping Placement: Choose where to place a topping (cannot be adjacent to your own toppings).
2. Cut Selection: Secretly choose which of 6 numbered cut lines to use.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

At the end of any round, if a player has all 16 of their toppings on the pizza, that player wins.

Tiebreaker: If two players run out of toppings in the same round, the player who would end with more toppings on the pizza wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Two-Player Rules

• Each player takes their color’s pieces. Set the unselected third color’s pieces within reach.
• First player alternates each round (indicated by placing the unused color’s die in front of the current first player).
• Set up with all three colors as normal.
• Each round, before players cut, the first player rolls the unused color’s die and places its cutter on the matching line from the unused direction, then places one topping of the unused color on any empty space touching that pizza cutter.
• If the unselected color gets all 16 toppings on the board, both players lose.
• Same win condition: first to have all 16 toppings on the pizza.

Key Rules

• Toppings cannot be placed adjacent to your own existing toppings.
• The Safety Rule protects a player who has spread toppings very thin (max 1 per slice in every slice).

Player Reference

Round Phase	Action
1. Add Toppings	Place 1 topping on empty, non-adjacent space (in turn order)
2. Cut Pizza	Secretly choose cut line 1-6, reveal simultaneously
3. Replace Toppings	Majority in each slice replaces opponents; ties follow special rules
4. Rotate Pizza	Rotate clockwise to change turn order

Win: All 16 toppings on the pizza at end of a round.