Taj Mahal

Overview

Taj Mahal is a strategic bidding and area influence game set in India during the era of the Mughal Empire. Over 12 rounds, players use cards to bid on up to six different prizes each turn – palaces, elephants, advisors, and more. Prizes earn points directly and connect provinces on the game map for bonus scoring. After the twelfth round, the player with the highest point total wins.

Components

• 1 Game board (12 provinces of India)
• 120 Bidding cards (in 4 player colors, 30 per player)
• 12 Province tiles
• Palace tokens
• Elephant, Advisor, and Princess markers
• Connection markers
• Bonus tiles
• Victory point track and markers
• Rulebook

Setup

1. Place the game board centrally.
2. Each player takes their 30 bidding cards and shuffles them into a personal deck.
3. Place province tiles on their corresponding provinces (numbered 1-12).
4. Each player draws a starting hand from their deck.
5. Place scoring markers on the VP track at zero.
6. Arrange bonus tiles on the board as indicated.
7. Determine starting player randomly.

Turn Structure

The game plays over exactly 12 rounds, one per province. Each round:

1. Bidding Phase

Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player either:

• Plays 1 or 2 cards face-up in front of them (adding to their display for this round), OR
• Withdraws from the round, collecting prizes based on their displayed cards.

Once withdrawn, a player takes no more actions this round. Play continues clockwise among remaining players until all have withdrawn.

2. Prize Collection (upon withdrawal)

When withdrawing, check each of the 6 prize categories. For each category, the player with the most matching symbols in their display wins that prize. If tied when someone withdraws, the withdrawing player wins the tie.

Prize Categories:

• Elephant: Place a palace in the current province.
• Tiger: Take a bonus tile from the province.
• 2 Princesses: Take the Princess card (worth VP).
• Advisor (Yellow): Place a connection marker.
• Advisor (White): Place a connection marker.
• Taj Mahal symbol: Special province-specific reward.

3. Scoring

• Score points for placed palaces and connected provinces.
• Bonus tiles provide immediate or end-game points.
• Connected provinces (chains of adjacent provinces with your palaces) score increasingly.

4. Cleanup

All played cards are discarded. Players draw back to hand size. Advance to the next province.

Actions

Players have two choices on their turn during bidding:

• Play Cards: Add 1-2 cards to their display, showing symbols that compete for prizes.
• Withdraw: Stop bidding and claim prizes where they hold majority in each category.

Strategic tension comes from deciding when to withdraw – leaving early claims fewer prizes but conserves cards for future rounds.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Points are earned from:

• Palaces: Direct points for placing palaces in provinces.
• Connected Provinces: Chains of adjacent provinces with your palaces score bonus points (longer chains = more points).
• Bonus Tiles: Various VP values.
• Princess Cards: End-game scoring.
• Province-Specific Bonuses: Special rewards on certain provinces.

After 12 rounds, the player with the most victory points wins. Ties are broken by the number of remaining cards.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Tie Resolution: When multiple players tie for a prize at the moment someone withdraws, the withdrawing player wins the tie. If the tie is among non-withdrawing players, no one claims the prize yet.
• Card Management: Players must carefully manage their limited deck of 30 cards across 12 rounds. Overspending in early rounds leaves fewer options later.
• Multiple Prizes: A player can win multiple prizes in a single round if they have majority in several categories.
• Empty Categories: If no player has symbols for a category, that prize is not awarded.
• Province Order: Provinces are always resolved in order from 1 to 12, following the path on the board.
• Connection Scoring: Only the longest single connected chain scores bonus points, not multiple separate chains.

Player Reference

Prize Category	Symbol	Reward
Elephant	Elephant icon	Place palace in province
Tiger	Tiger icon	Take bonus tile
Princess	2 Princess icons	Claim Princess card
Yellow Advisor	Yellow star	Place connection marker
White Advisor	White star	Place connection marker
Taj Mahal	Taj symbol	Province-specific reward

Turn Choice: Play 1-2 cards OR Withdraw and collect prizes

Game Length: 12 rounds (one per province)