Quickdraw!

Objective

In Quickdraw, each player uses three pucks to score as many points as possible by landing pucks in various scoring zones. However, there’s a twist: players may choose to flick black pucks using their non-dominant hand for double points—and now, both players will “draw” at the same time. You can even earn a bonus by knocking your opponent’s puck off the table!

The setup

1. Players & Positioning
   • Two (or more) players face each other around a table or designated playing area.
   • Mark a “shooting line” or “starting position” from which players will flick their pucks.
2. Pucks
   • Each player has 3 pucks per round. They may choose any combination of:
     • Plain Pucks (flicked with dominant hand, standard scoring)
     • Black Pucks (flicked with non-dominant hand, double the scoring value)
   • Example: A player can choose 2 plain + 1 black, or 3 black, etc.
3. Scoring Zone
   • Cup in the Center: Landing a plain puck in or on the cup = 5 points. Black puck doubles to 10 points.
   • Goal Cards: Place two flat cards (one on each side of the cup). Landing a puck on a goal card = 3 points (double to 6 if black).
   • Skittles: Place two skittles on each side of the table, for a total of four. Each skittle knocked over = 1 point (double to 2 if black).

Gameplay:

1. Round Start
   • Each player lines up their 3 chosen pucks behind their shooting line.
   • A chosen player (or spectator) calls out a countdown: “3… 2… 1… Draw!”
   • Both players flick one puck at the same time on the word “Draw!”
2. Simultaneous Flicks
   • Players repeat this “countdown and flick” process for each of their 3 pucks.
   • Keep track of which puck is being used—plain (dominant hand) or black (offhand).
3. Scoring Points
   • Standard Zones: When a plain puck lands in a scoring zone, record the listed points.
   • Black Pucks (Double Points): If a black puck lands in a scoring zone, double its point value.
   • Off-Table Bonus: If your flicked puck strikes an opponent’s puck and causes it to go off the table or out of bounds, you gain +10 points.
   • Note: The opponent’s puck is removed from play, and they score 0 for that puck.
4. Invalid Flicks
   • If a puck goes off the table without scoring or striking an opponent’s puck, no points are awarded.
   • If it doesn’t knock over a skittle or doesn’t land on a goal card/cup, no points are awarded.
5. Round End
   • After each player has flicked all 3 pucks (3 simultaneous countdowns), sum up the points scored from each flick.
   • If you’re playing multiple rounds, gather the pucks, reset any knocked-over skittles, and begin the next round with the same or new puck choices.

Winning:

1. Single-Round Showdown
   • In a single-round format, the player with the highest total points after 3 simultaneous flicks is declared the Quickdraw Champion.
   • Sudden Death (Tie): If there’s a tie, each tied player takes one black puck. Flick simultaneously on “Draw!”—highest scoring shot wins outright.
2. Multi-Round Format
   • If playing multiple rounds (e.g., best of 3 or best of 5), keep a cumulative total across rounds.
   • After all rounds, the highest total score wins.

Additional rules

1. Puck Retakes (Mulligans)
   • Depending on skill level, allow 1 mulligan per game on a black puck. This lets you redo a flick if it misses the table entirely. Use sparingly to keep the game challenging.
2. Team Quickdraw
   • For 4 or more players, form two teams. Teammates flick simultaneously against opponents. Combine team scores to determine the winner.
3. Obstacle Course
   • Add small barriers or blocks around the scoring zones to increase difficulty for advanced players.