Die Schätze des Ali Baba (1999)

The Treasures of Ali Baba

extrapolated from a review done by Kevin Whitmore

At the beginning of the game each player starts with a pawn in the bottom corner of the board. At the opposite corner of the board is the entrance to the cave. Every turn each player rolls a D6 to move. Players must move their pawns in a clockwise direction along the edge of the board upon a narrow track. At the left-hand corner is a space marked “Wüste” (Desert). Each pawn must stop there. To leave the desert a player must roll an odd number. Upon reaching the far corner players must pause on the corner before opening the mountain.

The heart of the game happens within the cave. The cave is large, dominating the game mat. Up to 40 square cards can be placed face down, one per space, within the cave. This number will be reduced if the optional obstacles and tea light are used. The cards show the same back, depicting a vase. When a pawn ends its move on a vase the active player may inspect it, and claim the treasure shown. In addition, the player rolls a die to see if they break the vase. If not, they replace the treasure card with a blank card showing the same vase on the back. In this way the game board becomes depleted of treasures and filled up with worthless empty vases, or voids where vases were broken.

Complicating the player’s lives is the band of 40 thieves. Really it is just the black pawn, but he travels the board seeking to prevent the players from absconding with the treasures. Combat slightly favors the black pawn, encouraging all the players to give him a wide berth.

As players collect more treasures, they become encumbered, and forfeit movement points as their load increases. This allows the black pawn to possibly catch a player’s pawn. However, some of the treasure cards are empty backpacks and sacks, allowing a pawn to carry more treasure before becoming encumbered. Further, the black pawn is slow, rolling a special die with a top value of four.

Once a pawn has escaped from the cave, he must continue clockwise upon the track along the edge of the board. At the right-hand corner is a space marked BAGHDAD. Each pawn must stop in Baghdad, and may only leave on the roll of an even number. Should the pawn fail to leave, one of its hard-earned treasures will be lost. Staying in Baghdad is expensive! Eventually the pawn will escape Baghdad, and travel back to the starting corner.

To win the game the player must have more treasures than any other player, and they must also have more treasures than what remains within the cave.