Sleeping Queens Card Game Instruction Manual

1. Introduction to Sleeping Queens

Imagine a place where there's a queen of all pancakes, a king of cookies, and a pack of over-protective dragons. If this sounds like something out of a dream, it actually is! Sleeping Queens was invented by 6-year-old Miranda Evarts, who thought up the game one night when she couldn't fall asleep. She awoke the next morning and with help from her older sister, Madeleine, and her parents, Denise and Max, created this wonderfully whimsical world of napping nobles.

As you immerse yourself in the Evarts's fantasyland, you will find a game that helps develop memory, strategy, and elementary arithmetic skills. This card game is designed for 2-5 players, aged 8 and up, with an average playtime of approximately 20 minutes.

Image: The objective of Sleeping Queens is to wake the slumbering queens.

2. Setup

The game includes 79 playing cards. Before starting, familiarize yourself with the different card types:

• Queens: These are the cards you want to collect. Each Queen has a point value.
• Kings: Used to wake up Sleeping Queens.
• Knights: Used to steal Queens from other players.
• Dragons: Used to defend Queens from Knights.
• Sleeping Potions: Used to put Queens back to sleep.
• Wands: Used to counter Sleeping Potions.
• Jesters: Allow you to draw cards until a special card is found.
• Number Cards (1-10): Used for making mathematical equations.

To set up the game:

1. Shuffle all the Queen cards and place them face down in two rows in the center of the playing area. These are the Sleeping Queens.
2. Shuffle the remaining cards (Kings, Knights, Dragons, Potions, Wands, Jesters, and Number Cards) to form the draw pile. Place it face down next to the Sleeping Queens.
3. Deal 5 cards from the draw pile to each player. Players should keep their hands secret from others.
4. The player who last woke up from a nap goes first. If no one remembers, the youngest player starts.

3. Operating (How to Play)

On your turn, you must do one of the following:

• Play a King: Play a King card from your hand to wake up one Sleeping Queen. Flip over one face-down Queen card and add it to your collection.
• Play a Knight: Play a Knight card to attempt to steal a Queen from another player. The targeted player can defend with a Dragon card. If they do, your Knight is discarded, and their Queen is safe. If they cannot or choose not to defend, you take their Queen.
• Play a Sleeping Potion: Play a Sleeping Potion card to put an opponent's Queen back to sleep. The targeted player can counter with a Wand card. If they do, both the Potion and Wand are discarded, and their Queen remains awake. If they cannot or choose not to counter, their Queen is flipped face down and returned to the Sleeping Queens area.
• Play a Jester: Play a Jester card. Draw cards from the draw pile until you find a King, Knight, Sleeping Potion, or Wand. If you draw a number card, keep drawing until you find a special card. If you draw a Queen, you get to keep it.
• Discard and Draw: Discard one or more number cards from your hand and draw new cards from the draw pile until you have 5 cards again. You can discard:
  • Any single number card.
  • Two number cards that add up to 10 or more.
  • Three or more number cards that form a mathematical equation (e.g., 2 + 3 = 5).

After performing an action, draw cards from the draw pile until you have 5 cards in your hand. If the draw pile runs out, continue playing with the cards in hand.

Image: King cards are essential for waking Queens.

Image: Dragons and Wands provide defensive capabilities.

Image: Knights and Potions are offensive cards used to disrupt opponents.

Winning the Game

The game ends when a player has either:

• Woken 5 Queens (for 2-3 players) or 4 Queens (for 4-5 players).
• Collected Queens with a total point value of 50 or more (for 2-3 players) or 40 or more (for 4-5 players).

The player who meets either of these conditions first wins the game.

4. Maintenance

To ensure the longevity of your Sleeping Queens card game, follow these simple maintenance tips:

• Storage: Always store the cards in their original tin or a suitable card box to protect them from dust, moisture, and bending.
• Handling: Handle cards with clean, dry hands to prevent smudges and wear. Avoid bending or creasing the cards.
• Cleaning: If cards become slightly dirty, gently wipe them with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use water or cleaning solutions, as this can damage the card material.
• Avoid Extremes: Keep the game away from extreme temperatures and humidity, which can cause warping or damage.

5. Troubleshooting

While Sleeping Queens is designed to be straightforward, here are some common clarifications:

• Unclear Rules: If any rule is unclear during gameplay, refer to the official rules of play document provided with the game. A PDF version is also available online for detailed explanations.
• Jester Card Clarification: When a Jester card is played, you continue drawing cards until a special action card (King, Knight, Sleeping Potion, or Wand) is drawn. Any number cards drawn before the special card are kept in your hand. If a Queen is drawn, it is immediately added to your collection.
• Mathematical Equations: For number card discards, ensure all cards used in an equation are discarded together. For example, if you discard 2, 3, and 5 because 2+3=5, all three cards are removed from play.
• Running Out of Cards: If the draw pile runs out, continue playing with the cards in hand. The game ends when a player meets the winning conditions or all players run out of playable moves.

6. Specifications

7. Warranty & Support

Specific warranty information for the Sleeping Queens card game is not provided in the product details. For any product support, inquiries, or concerns, please contact Gamewright directly through their official website or customer service channels.

You can also refer to the official User Manual (PDF) for additional details: Sleeping Queens User Manual