STONEMAIER GAMES PRESENTS

designed by Ben Rosset & Matthew O’Malley

art by Beth Sobel

3-7 players (with 1 & 2 player variants) · 25 minutes · Ages 8+

The early 1800s is a time of immense construction and urbanization. You are a world-renowned master planner
who has been asked by two different cities to help them rebuild their city centers. Projects of such significance
require the expertise of more than one person, so for each assignment you are paired with another master
planner to execute your grandiose plans. Will your planning and collaborative skills be enough to design the most
impressive cities in the world?

108 BUILDING TILES

OVERVIEW 24 DUPLEX TILES

Between Two Cities is a tile-drafting game in which each tile
is part of a city. You work with the player on your left to build 14 CITY TOKENS
one city center while simultaneously working with the player
on your right to build a second city center. On each turn you
select two tiles from your hand, reveal them, then work with
your partners to place one of your selected tiles into each of
your two cities.
1 SCOREBOARD

GOAL 1 RULEBOOK 2 5 10 16
x24

x24
x2 x3 x4

At the end of the game, each city is scored for its architectural
x28
1 4 9 17

x28
1 3 6 10 15 21 & 1

7 REFERENCE CARDS
…

grandiosity. Your final score is the lower of the scores of the

x24
2 8 12 13 14… …

x28
x1 – 5 1

two cities you helped design, and the player with the highest
final score wins the game. To win, you have to share your 3

attention and your devotion equally Between Two Cities.

15 SEATING
RANDOMIZER CARDS
ALPHABETICAL
BY LAST
LETTER OF
FIRST NAME

3
 SETUP
1. Shuffle the seating randomizer cards and draw one from the top of
the deck. Sit clockwise around the table based on the category on the
card. For example, if the card says, “Alphabetical by city of birth,” a
player who was born in Birmingham would sit to the left of a player
who was born in Augusta, and so on around the table.
Note 1: If players prefer a completely random setup, deal one randomizer
card to each player and refer to the numbers in the upper left of the cards to
determine the seating order. Players then sit clockwise in ascending order
(lowest value to highest).
Make sure to sit with equal space between players, as each city will
be built between two side-by-side players.
Place the scoreboard in the middle of the table. Place one city token
between each pair of players (where the cities will be) and matching
city tokens next to the scoreboard. Place one reference card in front
of each player.
2. Shuffle the duplex tiles (rectangular) and place them in face-down
stacks next to the scoreboard.
2 3. Place the box in the middle of the table with all of the face-down
building tiles (square) inside, and shuffle the tiles inside the box.

GAMEPLAY: OVERVIEW
The game is played in three rounds. At the start of each round, you draw
a random hand of tiles. On each turn, you secretly choose two tiles to
place face-down in front of you. If you have more than one tile remaining
in your hand, pass your hand to the next player. Then all players flip their
selected tiles simultaneously and place one of them in each of their cities.
The tiles you select and their positioning determines how many points
you score at the end of the game. See Scoring (page 4) for a detailed
description of how each tile type is scored.
At the end of the game, each of your cities must form a 4x4 square of 16
building spaces—12 building tiles and two duplex tiles. You may never
play a tile in any position that would cause the end result not to be a
4x4 square.
GAMEPLAY: DETAILS
All players conduct the steps below simultaneously. Bigger than 4x4
Sideways 
Round One
Draw seven building tiles from the box to form your hand. Then take the
following steps in order:
CHOOSE: Secretly choose two of the tiles from your hand to play. Put the
remaining tiles face-down on the table above the city to your left and
place the city’s token on those tiles. This signals to the other players Place new tiles
that you have finished choosing your tiles. When you have finalized your adjacent to existing tiles
choice, you may not change it, nor may you look at the hand you passed.

REVEAL: Once every city token has a stack of tiles under it, all players
simultaneously reveal their chosen tiles by placing them face-up on the 
table in front of them.
PLACE: You may now openly discuss strategy with your partners to
determine the best location for your chosen tiles. You must place one
of your chosen tiles into the city to your left and the other into the city
to your right, but you can decide which tile goes into which city after Round Two
discussion with your partners. All tiles must be oriented in the same Draw three duplex tiles to form your hand. Secretly choose two tiles for 3
direction so that you and your partner can read the scoring key on each placement in your cities, then place the third above the city to your left
tile, and all tiles must be placed adjacent to at least one other tile in that under the city token to signal that you have made your decision. Now
city (they must share an edge). reveal and place two tiles, one tile into each of your cities. Just like in
NOTE 1: You must place all tiles so that your final city is a 4x4 square. After round one, when placing your tiles you may openly discuss strategy with
placing, tiles in the cities are set in place and cannot move. your partners to determine the best city and location for your chosen tiles.
A total of two duplex tiles will be added to each city in this round, because
NOTE 2: Very rarely it may happen that a player does not want to place tiles until
each player adds one duplex tile to each of their cities.
another player places first (in the spirit of partnership, we discourage this, but
it can happen). If this happens, the player with the lower value in the seating Treat duplex tiles just like two building tiles stuck to one another—one of
randomization places first. the buildings must be placed adjacent to another building tile in the city,
and they must be placed in such a way that the final city can be a 4x4
REPEAT: If there is more than one tile under the city token to your right,
square. Duplex tiles also must be placed so their orientation matches the
pick up those tiles and choose, reveal, and place again. When there is
other tiles. (The scoring prompts will face you on the tiles.)
only one tile remaining under the city token, discard it face-down to the
center of the scoreboard (don’t place it back in the box with the other At the end of the round, take the remaining duplex tiles from under each of
tiles) and begin round two. the city tokens, discard them face-down to the center of the scoreboard,
and begin round three.
At the end of round one, each city will consist of six tiles.

Round Three
Round three follows the same steps as round one, except that you put
your remaining tiles face-down under the city token to your right and you
pick up your tiles from your left. At the end of round three, each city will be
a complete 4x4 square.
 ENDING THE GAME
GAME SCORING EXAMPLE
After round three is over, clear the scoreboard of discarded tiles and unfold the
In the six-player game shown below, Ben’s final
scoreboard. One player calls out each building type in the order listed on the reference
score is 56, Matthew’s is 56, Margaux’s is 52,
cards (top to bottom). Going around the table, each player announces the score for
Anna Grace’s is 57, Peter’s is 52, and Emily’s is
that building type for the city to their left and advances that city’s token on the scoring
62. Emily Wins!
track. Score one building type in all cities before scoring the next building type.
Your final score is the lower of the two scores of your cities, and the player with the PETER
highest score wins. ANNA GRACE
First tiebreaker: Tied players compare the scores of their higher-scoring cities. 62 52
MARGAUX
Second tiebreaker: Winners add and compare the quantity of buildings by type in
both of their cities, starting at the top of the player aid and moving down until the tie is
broken. First count the number of shops in both of their cities. The player with the most 57
shops wins. If still tied, move on to factories, taverns, offices, parks, and finally houses. BEN 62
Example: If Ben and Emily are tied after the first tiebreaker, and Ben has a total of
five shops in his two cities and Emily has a total of four shops, the tie is broken and
Ben wins.
56
62 EMILY
MATTHEW
4
SCORING
= or & = and = adjacent

Shops (16 buildings + 8 duplex)

Shops do best in a shopping
a set is worth 2|5|10|16
district where customers can find
Shops score when connected in a straight line (row or column): 2 points for one shop tile, 5 everything they need in one place.
points for two connected shop tiles, 10 points for three connected shop tiles in a straight line,
or 16 points for four connected shop tiles in a straight line. If lines of shops cross (in an L or T
or + shape), each tile can only be counted for one of the sets.
Score each set of shops separately. The example to the right scores 16 points for a row of four shops,
plus 2 points for the single shop and 5 points for the column of two shops for a total of 23 points.

Factories (16 buildings + 8 duplex)

a tile is worth 4, 3, or 2, determined by majority
In the city (or cities, if tied) with the most factory tiles compared to other cities, each factory
The most industrialized cities
tile scores 4 points. In the city or cities with the second most factory tiles, each factory tile
become known for their
scores 3 points. In all other cities, each factory tile scores 2 points.
work and attract even more
Cities A and B each have five factories (4 points per factory), City C has three factories (3 points per industrial development.
factory), City D has two factories and City E has one factory (each city receives 2 points per factory), and
City F has zero factories (0 points).
Taverns (20 buildings + 8 duplex; 7 of each)
a set is worth 1|4|9|17 Residents visit a variety of taverns;
There are four different tavern tiles, A city can contain duplicate taverns. Each set of taverns some have the best food, some the
each with a different icon inside a is scored separately. best drink, some the best music,
red diamond. Taverns score 1 point and some the best beds.
If a city has one music, two drink, and two food taverns, that
for one in a city, 4 points for two
city scores 13 points for taverns: 9 points for the first set of
different taverns, 9 points for three
music, drink, and food taverns, and 4 points for the second set
different taverns, or 17 points for all
of drink and food taverns.
four different taverns in a city (regardless of location or
adjacency to each other).

Offices (20 buildings + 8 duplex)

a set is worth 1|3|6|10|15|21, and a tile is worth +1 if next to at least 1 tavern
Professional services (attorneys,
Offices score 1 point for one office tile, If a city has 7 office tiles, it scores 22 points for offices (21 + 1). accountants, doctors, etc) create
3 points for two office tiles, 6 points for a demand for more professional
In addition, each office gets +1 point if it is adjacent to at
three, 10 points for four, 15 points for five, services. Locations next to
least one tavern. Each office tile can only score
or 21 points for six office tiles (regardless taverns are especially desirable.
1 bonus point, but several offices can receive that point
of location or adjacency to each other).
from the same adjacent tavern tile.
If a city has seven office tiles, the seventh starts a new set
A single office adjacent to a tavern is worth 2 points (1 + 1). A 5
of offices, and the scoring starts over again at 1 for that set.
single office adjacent to four taverns is still worth 2 points.

Parks (16 buildings + 8 duplex)

a group of one or more connected parks is worth 2|8|12|13|14… Large parks can be enjoyed by
Parks score in groups of one or To be in a connected group, a park must share a more citizens when they are
more connected parks. A single border with another park. The group does not have to spread throughout the city center.
unconnected park is worth 2 points. form a straight line.
Two connected parks are worth 8.
In a city with four separate park tiles, the parks score 8
Three connected parks are worth
points total (2 each). Three adjacent parks and one separate
12. Every additional connected park
park score 14 points total. Four adjacent parks score 13
after the third increases the score by 1.
points total. Two separate groups of two parks each score 8
You may have more than one unconnected park group points for a total of 16 points.
in your city. Score each park group separately. 8 14 13 16

Houses (20 buildings + 8 duplex)

a tile is worth 1 per other building type (excluding houses) in the city, but a tile next to a factory is only worth 1
People want to live where they
Each house tile is worth 1 point for five other building types in the city, each house is worth have access to many different
each other building type (excluding 5 points. All taverns count as a single building type. services and places to work,
houses) in the city (regardless of but few want to live across the
If a house tile is adjacent to a factory tile, that house tile
location or adjacency). If there is one street from a factory.
instead scores 1 point (people don’t want to live right
other building type in the city, each
next to a factory).
house is worth 1 point. If there are
 CITY SCORING EXAMPLES

56 POINTS 52 POINTS 62 POINTS

16 for shops 10 for parks 5 for shops 16 for parks 2 for shops 1 for offices
(8 + 2, two park groups) (8 + 8, two park groups)
0 for factories 20 for factories 9 for factories 8 for parks
12 for houses (4 each, most factories) 9 for houses (3 each, second most (one park group)
1 for taverns (4 each) (8 + 1, 4 each but one is factories)
2 for taverns next to a factory) 25 for houses
17 for offices (both are the same) 17 for taverns (5 each)
6 (15 + 2, two have an
adjacent tavern) 0 for offices

62 POINTS 62 POINTS 57 POINTS

16 for shops 25 for offices 10 for shops 8 for parks 2 for shops 0 for offices
(21 + 4, four have an (one park group)
4 for factories adjacent tavern) 2 for factories 20 for factories 22 for parks
(2 each) (2 each) 20 for houses (4 each, most factories) (12 + 8 + 2, 3 park groups)
0 for parks (5 each)
17 for taverns 17 for taverns 1 for taverns 12 for houses
0 for houses (4 each)
5 for offices
(3 + 2, two have an
adjacent tavern)
TWO-PLAYER VARIANT
In a 2-player game, you each design two cities on your own (four cities total): one to
your left and one to your right. On each turn you choose two tiles and place one in
each of your cities. Each of the rounds from the 3 – 7 player game is played twice as
indicated below:
1. Round 1a­­—draw 7 building tiles, then choose, reveal and place 2, and pass the
remaining tiles to your opponent until only 1 tile remains
2. Round 1b—same as round 1a
3. Round 2a—draw 3 duplex tiles, choose and place 2
4. Round 2b—same as round 2a
5. Round 3a—same as round 1a
6. Round 3b—same as round 1a
At the end of the game, score each city the same way as in the 3 – 7 player game, but
instead of only counting your lowest-scoring city, add together the scores of both of
your cities to determine your final score. Ties are broken using the second tie-breaker
rule from the 3 – 7 player game.
NOTE: Without the element of partnership, the 2-player variant can be more aggressive than the 7
3 – 7 player game. You have much more influence on your opponent’s choices when passing tiles.

PLAYTESTERS

PLAYTESTERS,
Katy Adams, Noah Adelman, Phil Alberg & Family, Seth Auman, Abby Auman, Levi Baer, John Baker, Suzie Baker, Steven Banas, Kevin Barefoot, Rayn Barnhill, Michael Barth, Jennifer Barth, Steve Bass,
Jason Beamish, Tara Beamish, Mike Beaumier, Ben Begeal, Aaron Belmer, Marc Bennett, Murray Bennett, Michael Bernhardt, Ameya Bhandarkar, John Blackburn, Istanbul Boardgamer, Brad Boileau,
Trey Brakefield, Jarle Brattespe, Will Brennan, James Buster, Jacob Cain, Julie Campbell, Graham Campbell, Erin Carlson, Raymond Chan, Helen Christie, Jasmin Chua, Jonathan Clark, Zane Clifford,
Raschelle Coblentz, Adam Coffman, Shayna Conant, Jacob Coon, Steve Corush, Mara Corush, John Coveyou, Gary Dahl, Chris Darden, Dserah Darling, Cal Davidson, Joseph Davis, Jake Davis, Jessie Davis,
Neila Davis, Andrew DeGroot, Sean DePass, Alwin Dijkstra, Chris Dolphy, Miles Dormuth, Scot Duvall, Philip Duvall, Keith Dvorkin, David Eddington, Chris Eichharn, Jeff Eiseman, Nabeta Family, Nick Ferris,
Josh Fields, John Flood, Amanda Foulk, Brian Frahm, Vitali Francesca, Jack Francisco, Charlotte Frei, Andi Frei, Rainer Frickanisce, Danyel Gaddis, Michael Gaddis, Noah Gadea, Brad Genz, Jennifer Glinzak,
Jan Grabert, Heather Grabert, Matthew Grosso, Michael Hale, Kurtis Hammel, Ben Harding, Casey Harmon, Mike Hatke, Charles Hayes, Rachel Heilmeier, Cory Heistad, Sean Hennessy, Kevin Hodges, Joshua Hogue,
Eric Hogue, Daniel Hogue, Cheryl Hogue, Sarah Hogue, Samantha Hogue, Eric Hogue, Jill Holroyd, Jelaina Holroyd, Peter Homeier, Zachary Homrighaus, Dennis Hoyle, Albert Huebner, JD Huntington,
Vincent Incarvite, Gabe Ivan, Chris Jackson, Craig Jakobsen, Marshall Jansen, Edric Jazmin, Chris Johnson, Roslyn M. Jordan, Jessica Kimes, Chad Kimes, Daiaunne king-bey, Barry Klaasen Bos,
Lauren Kologe Barefoot, Matias Korman, Lon Lademann, Tim Lang, Elizabeth LaRocca, Guillaume Leclerc, Michael Lee, Richard Lee, Kevin Lessard, William Lessard, Steve Lesser, Doug Levandowski,
David Lipman, John Liszka, Lynn Liszka, Jeremy Loscheider, Darrell Louder, Pooja Louis, Melissa Lueking, Lori MacKenzie, Jim MacKenzie, Fred MacKenzie, Tyrone Mackey, Ben Maddox, Samir Mahmalat,
Matthew Majeika, Cullen Marshall, Chris Matthew, Zintis May-Krumins, Lukas McKinley, Wes McKinley, Reed McKinley, Aaron McKinley, Nolan McLaughlin, David Mehring, Kathleen Mercury, Melissa Merrell,
Ryan Metzler, Rob Miller, Scott Minkoff, Adam Mitz, Chris Morse, Inessa Mukha, Andrew Mulbrook, Brandon-Shea Mutala, Tam Myaing, Nathan Nabeta, Cathryn Napora, Daniel Nayeri, Scott Nichols, Nersi Nikakhtar,
Ruby O’Malley, Teia O’Malley, Lurana O’Malley, Sean O’Malley, Margaux O’Malley, Anna Grace O’Malley, Peter O’Malley, Pat Odenthal, Dan Oliver, Sarah Oliver, Allen Pick, Andy Pickard, Vasco Pinto,
Riccardo Previdi, Gary J. Przybocki, Jonathan Radliff, Annick Ranger, Lori Reeder, Amy Reid, André van Renssen, Previdi Riccardo, Marcel Roeloffzen, Marc Rosset, Todd Roth, Danny Sag, Matthew Sandlin,
Nathan Sanfilippo, Nafmi Sanichar - van Herwijnen, Tilly Sanichar - van Herwijnen, Bobby Schafer, Barry Schmaling, Owen Schmaling, Dana Schmaling, Connor Schmaling, Will Schneeberger, Karl Schultz,
Abi Scott, Mark Sellmeyer, Matt Sims, John Slater, Brad Smoley, Chris Stavaas, Andrew Stegmaier, Jess Straatmann, David Studley, Allard Swart, Mike Swiryn, Josh Tempkin, Steve Thomas, Alex Tran,
Rosemary Upham, Ashley Valenzuela, Vince Vaughan, Jannet Vegter, Erik Vegter, Peter Vegter, Craig Vivian, Anne Walek, Josh Walker, Matt Warhover, Shelby Watts, Beth West, David Whitehead,
Jeff Wienstock, Allen Wiggs, Nate Wildermuth, Carey Willis, Phil Wills, Erwin Winkelman, David Witsaman, Chris Wray, Eric Yorkston, Chris Zinsli
PROOFREADERS
PROOFREADERS
Phil Alberg, David Armstrong, Roberta Burnes, Scot Duvall, Anna Eubanks, Elias Gannage, Matthew J. Gravelyn, Scott Halvorson, Casey Harmon, Dan Jensen, Josh Jones, Melissa Kerr,
Rebecca Keulan, Fr. Ryan Lozano, Siddhant “Sid” Mohalanobish, Craig Moore, Cameron O’Reilly, John Parker, Bethany Rowland, Robert Schafer, Dexter Thompson, Roel van der Hoorn, Tyler van Mulligen,
Andrew Watson, Ross Willows, Julia Ziobro
 QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

ROUND SUMMARY

ROUND 1 ROUND 2 ROUND 3

SETUP Draw 7 square building tiles. Draw 3 rectangular duplex tiles. Draw 7 square building tiles.

Secretly choose 2 tiles; pass the rest Secretly choose 2 tiles; discard the Secretly choose 2 tiles; pass the rest
CHOOSE to the left with the city token on top. remaining one to the center. to the right with the city token on top.

Simultaneously reveal your tiles. Simultaneously reveal your tiles. Simultaneously reveal your tiles.
REVEAL/PLACE Place 1 in each city on either side. Place 1 in each city on either side. Place 1 in each city on either side.

DRAW Take the tiles on your right. No draw. Take the tiles on your left.

If only one tile remains, discard it Start round 3. If only one tile remains, discard it face-
face-down in the center. Start round 2. down in the center. Calculate scores.
8

SHOPS*: 2|5|10|16 points each set of OFFICES: 1|3|6|10|15|21 points for

1|2|3|4 in a line (horizontal or vertical). 1|2|3|4|5|6 anywhere in the city,
PLACEMENT RULES +1 for each adjacent to 1 or more .
• A
 fter the first, all tiles must be placed
FACTORIES: Each is 4 points in the
adjacent to at least 1 other tile
city/cities with the most , 3 points in PARKS: 2|8|12|13|14… for in a
the city/cities with the second most, 2 connected group. You may have more
• All tiles must be oriented upright points in all others. than 1 group in your city.
• Tiles must fit within a 4x4 grid TAVERNS*: 1|4|9|17 points for each set HOUSES: each is 1 point per other
• Once placed, a tile cannot be moved of 1|2|3|4 different taverns anywhere in tile type in the city, or only 1 if adjacent
the city. to a .

*Each tile may only score in one set

FINAL SCORE
Your final score is the value of your lower scoring city. The winner is the player with the highest score.
Break ties with the value of your higher scoring city first, then by the number of tiles, then , , , , .

Replacement parts are available for free upon request at stonemaiergames.com/replacement-parts.

© 2015 Stonemaier LLC. All Rights Reserved. Between Two Cities is a trademark of Stonemaier LLC.