Forecasts

Rules overview

A trick-taking game of prediction, pressure, and shared outcomes

Components

• 1 standard 52-card deck
• 9 identical cubes
• 3 scoring areas labeled Hot, Neutral, Cold
• 1 Weather Advisory card per player (optional rule)
• Paper and pencil for scorekeeping

Objective

In Forecasts, players are meteorologists competing to make accurate temperature predictions. At the start of each round, each player secretly forecasts whether the final temperature will end Hot or Cold. Over a series of tricks, players use skillful card play to push temperature cubes between Hot, Neutral, and Cold. After 10 tricks, players score points based on how many cubes end in the bucket they forecast. After four rounds, the player with the highest total score wins.

Setup

1. Place the three scoring areas in the center of the table: Hot, Neutral, and Cold.
2. Place 4 cubes in Hot, 4 cubes in Cold, and 1 cube in Neutral.
3. Remove all Jacks, Queens, and Kings from the deck.

4. Shuffle the remaining cards and deal

• 4 players: 10 cards each
• 3 players: 13 cards each

1. Each player takes one Hot Forecast card and one Cold Forecast card.
2. If using the optional rule, each player also takes one Weather Advisory card.

Game Length

The game lasts 4 rounds. Scores carry over between rounds.

Round Structure

Each round follows these steps:

1. Make Forecasts

2. Play 10 Tricks

3. Score the Round

4. Reset for the Next Round

Make Forecasts

Each player secretly chooses one forecast: Hot or Cold. Place the chosen forecast face down in front of you. Forecasts remain hidden until scoring.

Play Tricks

Trick Rules

• The starting player leads any card.
• Play proceeds clockwise.
• Players must follow suit if able.
• If unable to follow suit, any card may be played.
• The highest-ranked card of the led suit wins the trick.
• The winner of the trick leads the next trick.

Card Rank

From highest to lowest: Ace, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. If a tie must be broken, suits rank: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs.

Adjusting the Temperature

When you win a trick, you immediately move cubes based on the color of the winning card.

Color Direction

• Red cards (Hearts or Diamonds) push temperature toward Hot.
• Black cards (Spades or Clubs) push temperature toward Cold.

Cube Movement

When you win a trick, choose one legal move

If you won with a red card

• Move 1 cube from Cold to Neutral, or
• Move 1 cube from Neutral to Hot

If you won with a black card

• Move 1 cube from Hot to Neutral, or
• Move 1 cube from Neutral to Cold

Movement rules

• If a legal move exists, you must move exactly one cube.
• You choose which legal move to make.
• Cubes always move one step only.
• Cubes may never skip Neutral.
• Cubes are never removed from the game.

If no legal move exists, no cube is moved.

Scoring the Round

After 10 tricks

1. All players reveal their Forecast cards.

2. Each player scores

• +1 point for each cube in the bucket they forecast
• Neutral cubes score 0 points

3. Winning Bucket Bonus

• If Hot has more cubes than Cold, players who forecast Hot gain +1 point
• If Cold has more cubes than Hot, players who forecast Cold gain +1 point
• If tied, no bonus is awarded

Each player scores independently.

End of Game

After four rounds:

• The player with the highest total score wins.
• Tie-breakers, in order:

1. Most correct forecasts

2. Unused Weather Advisory

3. Shared victory

Optional Rule: Weather Advisory

Each player has one Weather Advisory for the entire game. When you win a trick, you may discard your Weather Advisory to move two cubes instead of one.

Both cubes must

• Originate from the same bucket
• End in the same destination bucket

You may not split the movement.

Examples

• Red win: move 2 cubes from Cold to Neutral, or 2 from Neutral to Hot
• Black win: move 2 cubes from Hot to Neutral, or 2 from Neutral to Cold

Once used, the Weather Advisory is discarded for the rest of the game.