How To Play Aggravation

Object of the Aggravation
To move all 4 of your marbles from the BASE position around the board (making a full circle around the board, or a partial circle around the board if using the shortcut) to the HOME position.

Players
Aggravation can be played with 2-6 players.

Game Set Up
Each player selects a set of 4 matching colored marbles and places them in their BASE. Each player then rolls the dice to see who goes first. The player who rolls the highest number goes first, then their player on their left begins, and so on. Play always passes to the left.

How to Play
Before any marble can be moved around the board, it must be released from BASE and placed in the START position. In order to be released, the player must roll a 1 or a 6. Once the marble is in play, it can be moved on the player’s next turn.

Once is a marble is “in play” it moves clockwise around the board according to the roll of the die. Count each hole, even if it is occupied by an opponent’s marble. You must move the exact number of holes represented by the die. You cannot split the total among different marbles. If you cannot make a move, you must forfeit your turn.

Once you have one or more marbles in play, when you roll 1 or 6, you have the option of entering a new marble into the START position or moving a marble on the path the number of holes shown on your die roll. NOTE: When one of your marbles is sitting in the START hole, you cannot move a new marble into that space.

You can jump or land on an opponent's marble; however, you cannot jump or land on your own marble. If you do not have a marble that can be moved the full count of the die, you forfeit that turn.

If you land on an opponent’s marble, they must remove that marble and return it to BASE. It can resume play, starting over, once a 1 or 6 has been rolled. This is known as being “Aggravated!”

Shortcut
Players may use the hole in the middle of the board as a shortcut. To enter the shortcut, you must roll the exact number of spaces needed to land in the center. Once a marble is placed in the shortcut hole, that player must roll a 1 or a 6 in order to move it again.

Who Wins?
The game is won by the player who returns all 4 marbles to their HOME positions. You cannot jump marbles in the HOME area. You cannot move marbles counterclockwise.

 

Get To Know Your Board 

Where is my BASE?
BASE is the collection of holes that coordinates with the color of your marbles. BASE is outside of the game path. It is circular on the 4 player board. It is L shaped on the 6 player board.

Where is my HOME?
HOME is the linear sequence of holes that coordinate with your marbles’ color pointing in the direction of the center of the board.

Where is the START position?
Your START position is located on the game path next to your BASE.

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