Review: 3 Chapters:: 3 Chapters by Spellendreef

by Bram Vonck

This article was first published in dutch on spellendreef.be

[heading]You have three chapters to score the most points with the fairy tale characters. If you succeed, you are the winner of 3 Chapters![/heading]

Goal of the Game
Have the most points at the end of the game.

Setup
The cards are shuffled, and each player receives eight. The crystals, hearts, and stars are placed near the play area.

Gameplay
The game is played in three phases: the so-called three chapters. The cards display a value on the left and one or more symbols. Some cards also have an ability at the bottom center. Certain abilities are only active in specific chapters of the game.

Card Selection
In the first phase, players choose their cards. From their eight cards, each player sets one aside face down and passes the remaining seven to the player on their left. This continues until each player has selected seven cards. The final card is returned to the box.

If playing with three players, each receives eight cards, selects one, and passes the rest. This continues until each player has chosen four cards. The remaining cards are returned to the box—without looking. Then, from the undealt cards, eight new cards are distributed. Each player again keeps one and passes the rest until they have eight cards. The remaining cards are put back in the box.

Playing the Cards
Once everyone has their cards, the next phase begins. A starting player is chosen. That player plays one of their hand cards, followed by the other players in clockwise order. The player who plays the highest-value card wins the trick and receives a star from the supply.

Next, the conditions on the played cards are checked. If the conditions are met, the players who played those cards receive the listed rewards. Once all rewards have been distributed, each player places their played card face up in front of them. The player who won the trick leads the next round. This continues until all cards have been played.

Final Chapter & Scoring
Once all tricks have been played, the third chapter begins. Each player places their selected cards in front of them and checks if the conditions are met. Players receive the rewards listed on their cards. The player with the most crystals receives four extra. If multiple players tie, they all receive four extra crystals.

Once everyone is ready, the final scoring takes place:
– Every two crystals = 1 point (fractions do not count)
– Every heart = 1 point
– Every star = 2 points

The player with the highest score wins the game. In case of a tie, the player with the highest card value wins.

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Two Players
In a two-player game, there will be two additional "ghost" players alongside the two human players. In the first phase, each player receives eight cards. They choose one for themselves and place another card to their right—this will form one of the ghosts. In this way, two ghost piles are created between the players. The remaining six cards are passed to the opponent, and the process repeats until all cards have been distributed. Players then receive another set of eight cards, and the process is repeated. After distributing the cards, the ghost decks are shuffled.

In the second phase, a human starting player is chosen. The starting player plays a card, and the game continues in clockwise order. When it is a ghost’s turn, the top card of its pile is drawn. The player who plays the highest-value card wins the trick and leads the next round. If a ghost wins, the top card of its pile is simply played. Card abilities are activated as in the normal game, but ghosts cannot collect scoring tokens. Once all cards have been played, the game moves to the third phase, which follows the same rules as described above.

Materials
The tokens—representing crystals, hearts, and stars—are made of thin wood, which is more than sufficient for their purpose in the game. There are 50 cards with beautiful and fitting artwork. The values, symbols, and abilities are clearly displayed. The rulebook is straightforward and includes additional explanations regarding the cards.

Conclusion / Our Opinion
3 Chapters is a game best played three times in a row when learning it for the first time. The first playthrough introduces you to the various characters and possible combos you can chain together. Sometimes, it’s wise to wait and observe in the second chapter because you want to activate your card abilities at the right moment. Taking action is not always an advantage. A careful decision must be made during the first phase—when exactly do you want to score points: in the second or third chapter? Your choice will determine which characters you want in your hand. The player who balances this best will win the game.

For me, 3 Chapters is a short trick-taking game with a twist. In a standard trick-taking game, you generally aim for the highest-value cards, but that’s not necessarily the case here. Winning every trick does not guarantee victory. The game is well-balanced, allowing for rewards even when playing low-value cards—especially when combined effectively. A bit of strategy and a touch of luck will help you collect the scoring tokens.

Overview
Playtime: 30 minutes
Players: Two to six players
Difficulty: Easy
Age: 10+

We thank 999 Games for providing a review copy.
Our opinion is subjective and in no way influenced.

Author Of article : Bram Vonck

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