Your First Turn — Win the Presidency

Phase 1 — play an Action card (optional)

Before your main action you may play up to one Action card from your hand. This is free and does not use up your main action.

October Surprise — trigger a standard auction for any opponent-owned state that is not their home state and not a swing state. Winner pays the current owner (or the bank if the owner wins it back). The owner may play Veto to block.
Recount — trigger a standard auction for any opponent-owned state, including swing states. Winner pays the current owner (or the bank if the owner wins it back). The owner may play Veto to block.
Debate — trigger a Debate for any unclaimed state. All players compete; the winner claims the state free. Cannot be blocked by Veto.
Open State — force a standard auction on any unclaimed state of your choice. Payment goes to the bank.
Super Tuesday — conduct a blind auction for 3 mystery states (not dealt in the opening hand).
Veto (reactive) — play anytime to cancel an October Surprise or Recount targeting one of your states.

Economy cards (Devon Tusk, VP Gaffe) are never held — they resolve the instant you draw them.

Where you are

Your pawn starts on your home state. Every hex below is reachable within two moves.

Home state

Within 2 moves

Phase 2 — take one main action

After the optional card, choose exactly one of the following.

1Move & Auction

Move your pawn 1 or 2 spaces to an unclaimed state, then trigger a standard auction for that state. Your pawn stays there whether or not you win.

1 move away:

2 moves away:

How the auction works: you answer one trivia question — a correct answer earns a bidding credit (Easy +$5M, Hard +$15M) applied to your bid only. Then bidding opens to all players: $5M minimum, $2.5M raises. Last bidder standing wins the state and pays the bank.

Adjacency bonus: +$5M per state you already own that borders this one, up to $15M. Bidding credit only.

If you answer incorrectly and no challenge succeeds, the auction is cancelled and you draw one cash card as consolation.

2Take a Campaign Card

Draw the top card of the Campaign Deck. Instant Cards (denoted on the card) resolve immediately; every other card goes to your hand. There is no hand limit.

3Take a Cash Card

Draw 2 dollar cards into your hand. Values stay secret — opponents only see how many cards you hold.

End of turn

Place your color chip on any won state, return spent dollar cards to the bank face-down, discard played campaign cards face-up. Check whether this was the 36th state won — if yes, score now. If not, play passes to the left.

Scoring: state EVs + swing states ×2 + regional bonus (+15 EV for a connected 3-state core anchored to your home state, then +25 / +35 / +45 EV as the region grows to 4, 5, or 6+ states) − 10 EV per opponent-held state bordering your home state.