When either the CANDIDATE player or a CHALLENGER wins the Race the rewards are:

1. A CANDIDATE winner marks off "ONE" HAT symbol to match the Hat symbol of each suit card that was played in both the CANDIDATE circle and the BANDWAGON circle.
2. A CHALLENGER winner marks off “TWO” HAT symbols to match the Hat symbol of each suit card that was played in both the CANDIDATE circle and the BANDWAGON circle.
3. The winner collects and holds aside all the “CARDS” that were played during the Race for later "counting".
4. The winner plays the lead CANDIDATE card in the next Race.

BANDWAGON WINNERS --- When the CANDIDATE wins the Race BANDWAGON players are also winners. They score one hat to match the suit card they played in their BANDWAGON space.

When the KINGMAKER / COALITION WINS THE RACE - - -

1. The KM player wins "CARDS".
2. The KM scores 2 Votes, and all other Coalition players score 1 Vote each.
3. The KM plays the lead CANDIDATE card of the next Race.

SCORING HATS (SEATS) AND VOTES:

HATS: When a Suit card of 50 Points or more is won, any Hat symbol may be scored. When you win a Hat card and all such equivalent matching Hat symbols in your score box have already been posted then any open Hat symbol below the one you won shall be marked. If none of those Hat symbols are open for posting then the player will make a vertical “memo stroke” mark outside and to the left of his scoring triangle.

VOTES: After all Vote symbols have been won and marked off “memo stroke marks” will be made outside and to the right of the triangle when additional Votes are won.

“CONVERTING” MEMO STROKES: Accumulated HAT or VOTE memo strokes may be erased and used as an exchange to score open Hat or Vote symbols by the following schedule:

ERASE	TO MARK OFF ONE EACH (LOWEST)
5 HAT AND / OR VOTE MEMO STROKES	Grass Roots, Committeeman, Delegate
10 HAT AND / OR VOTE MEMO STROKES	Mayor, Congressman, Senator
15 HAT AND / OR VOTE MEMO STROKES	Governor

• Hats and Votes should be scored or erased immediately after they have been won or lost.
• If all Hat symbols are presently scored, exchanges may be made by erasing 5 Hat strokes to score 1 Vote.
• Vote strokes may be erased and converted to Hat strokes as needed to score open Hat symbols.
• Conversions should be made immediately after all other “end of hand” scoring is completed.

HOW TO WIN ADDITIONAL SEATS (HATS) AND VOTES
During the “Primary” win 2 Votes by playing a Power card (except the Blitz) on any other faction.

When you overlay an Attack card on the Candidate, a Challenger, or the KM you will win and mark off Hat and Vote symbols, and at the same time the Attacked opponent player must ERASE the same number of his Hat and Vote symbols, as specified below. Always mark or erase the Hat symbols starting with lowest first. The “Governor” and “Senator” symbols are never won or erased by Attack card play (instead a “Hat Stroke” may be marked or erased). Mark a “stroke” when all symbols are already marked, Erase “Hat Strokes” only when there are no “scored” Hat symbols to erase. (Whenever an ATTACK card is played, marking and erasing should be done immediately)

ATTACK CARD PLAYED	"ATTACK CARD" PLAYER	"OPPONENT" PLAYER
* "GOTCHA" (Pointing Finger) "SKUNK" "BUTTON HOLE" "STING" "IMPEACH" "ROYAL STING"	WINS & "MARKS OFF" 1 HAT & 1 VOTE SYMBOL 2 HAT & 2 VOTE SYMBOLS 3 HAT & 3 VOTE SYMBOLS 4 HAT & 4 VOTE SYMBOLS 5 HAT & 5 VOTE SYMBOLS 10 HAT & 10 VOTE SYMBOLS	LOSES & ERACES 1 HAT & 1 VOTE SYMBOL 2 HAT & 2 VOTE SYMBOLS 3 HAT & 3 VOTE SYMBOLS 4 HAT & 4 VOTE SYMBOLS 5 HAT & 5 VOTE SYMBOLS 10 HAT & 10 VOTE SYMBOLS

The most devastating sting play is the ROYAL STING. It occurs when an attacked faction’s card “mix” on the game board contains both the “STING” Attack card and the “IMPEACH” Attack card, in any order, and in any position within the opponent's faction of cards. The pair of ROYAL STING cards may be played by the same player, or different players, any appropriate time during a Race. Whether it be the STING card or the IMPEACH card that is last overlaid on the attacked faction, and which brings about the “ROYAL STING”, the player of that last played “ROYAL STING” card HIJACKS 10 “SEATS” and 10 “VOTES” to covert to his own score board, while the attacked opponent player loses and erases the same.

The lead player of a Race may “pass” the lead play opportunity to the next player etc. etc., however if all remaining players also pass then the initial lead player must make the play.

The POLITIKS PLAY: In the Primary, instead of playing a Suit card in one of the strategic play areas for his opening Primary card, a player may play either a Power card (except the “Campaign Blitz” card) or an Attack card on the Candidate card, any Challenger card, or the Kingmaker card. The “Politiks” player may then play a Suit card in one of the strategic areas, or discontinue play in the remainder of that Race.

No cards may be overlaid on either Band Wagon cards or Coalition cards (except the Kingmaker card) FORFEITED CARDS:

• Action cards in hand that cannot make a viable play are forfeited and placed face down in center board to be collected with “CARDS”.
• Suit cards may not be forfeited.
• A player may not forfeit any card that can otherwise make a valid play - the play must be made.

• When there is a tie for "lowest opponent" to determine first play in a Play Off match the player who played the last card in making the tie must make the first move.
  
• During a Campaign "match" one opponent may choose to "tie," rather than surpass his rival with a play. The other player is still entitled to make his counter move and if it breaks the tie the other player loses immediately, but if he elects not to make a counter move and allows the tie to stand, then play passes to remaining contenders. If the Candidate is the sole remaining contender he must, if necessary, make a play to overcome either the “tied” Challengers, and / or the Coalition. But, if the "tie" involves the Candidate and a Challenger in the concluding match then it is a STALEMATE (unless the Coalition has a higher TPV) and the Race is aborted, all cards are placed in center board to be included in the "CARD" winnings of the next Race. The player who caused the STALEMATE (that is, the player whose card was the last to be played in making the tie) will be the lead player of the next Race.

RESHUFFLING THE CARDS: Cards are not reshuffled until the entire deck has been dealt out. Deal out any remaining cards in the “set aside” deck as far as they will go, then reshuffle all of the previously played cards and resume dealing, so that all players have five cards.

GAME PIECES:
The Pawn : place as a marker on the current KM card and then move as necessary to any new KM.
The Horse piece: place on the Front Runner’s score box (leading player), and move when appropriate.

Suggested “end of hand” task sequence:

• Dealer announces: Players with CARDS score 1 Vote for having CARDS.
• Players with CARDS tally total points for scoring additional Votes.
• Dealer collects all cards played to set aside for inclusion in next combined “shuffle” of all used cards.
• Deal new hand when players ready.

• TAKE ME TO THE:
• KINGMAKER HOME PAGE of the "KingMaker" Card Game
  
• BARE BONES GIST of the "KingMaker" Card Game
  
• Quick Gist of the KingMaker playing cards
  
• The PRIMARY & "The Landslide Win" page of the "KingMaker" Card Game
  
• CHALLENGERS page of the "KingMaker" Card Game
• KING MAKER & COALITION page of the "KingMaker" Card Game
• THE GIST OF ACTION CARD PLAY
• KingMaker page 1 - official play rules
• KingMaker page 2 - official winning, scoring, and guideline tips
• KingMaker page 3 - official card charts