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Black Sheep
Before we actually get to the game, let's first explore what this term means. I, myself, had never stopped to think about where it comes from, and what it truly means. Let's get to the facts.
It all comes down to a genetic phenomenon you can observe in sheep. Occasionally, when a new lamb is born, they inherit a recessive gene that makes their wool black instead of white, which is the most common wool color.
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As time went on, this term acquired negative connotations, unfortunately. This is also linked to black sheep wool; it is usually cheaper because you can't dye it other colors, like you can dye white. That's the simple reason behind the entire term.
Now that we know everything about black sheep, let's explore Black Sheep, the board game!
Game Info
Black Sheep is best played with 2 to 4 players, for ages 8 and up, by renowned designer Reiner Knizia. It was illustrated by Ursula Vernon.
It was released in 2008 by Fantasy Flight Games. Its basic mechanics are hand management and set collection.
The Game
Your animals are running loose around the farm, and you need to get them back into the corrals. You'll have to compete with other farmers (other players) if you want to win.
You can get points for herding one or more animal types. The Black Sheep, at first, costs you points, but this won't always be the case - depending on what you need as a farmer, you might have to keep an eye out for it, so pay attention!
Black Sheep is a fun even for the toughest crowds, as it is visually beautiful; its miniature animals, for instance, really stand out. It is also great for hardcore gamers because it uses the same mechanics as Poker.
If you like building different strategies around a good dose of probability and randomness, and enjoy playing Poker, you'll love this game. Nonetheless, it is also quite nuanced, as any great Reiner Knizia board game.
At the beginning of the game, you'll place 3 field mats on the board and 2 animal miniatures on top of each of them, totaling 6 animals. These animals might be:
To determine which animals you'll put on each mat, you'll use animal cards. Draw them, then discard them on the discard pile face-up.
Once you know which animals go in each mat, just put the game's incredible animal miniatures on top of each mat.
After that, each player gets 3 animal cards and 1 task card. Then, you may begin playing!
As you'll have to work with 3 mats with 2 different (or not) animals in each field mat, depending on your personal task, the first thing you should do is pick which pair of animals you'll try to get into your corral. Pick your battles according to your bonus cards, and, obviously, according to the cards in your hand. Considering this game is similar to Poker, logically, you'll have to pick the field mat that increases your chances of winning.
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After you pick your field mat, now you need to decide if you want to play 1 or 2 cards on it. The difference is:
That's a crucial moment because, remember, this game is very similar to Poker. The 2 animals on the field mat represent their respective animal cards, and, when you put your 3 cards there, they'll complete your Poker "hand". That's how you'll get points from those two animals.
If you decided to just play 1 card on that field mat (either because that's the first card you'll play on that area, or because you've already played 2 cards there), you can discard one of the other 2 cards in your hand to try to upgrade it according to the animals available on all 3 field mats. Always look for the best combination of cards to get as many points as you can from the field mats.
After that, you can refill your hand with up to 3 cards, and it's time to score that field mat;
The game includes a reference card that shows which combinations are more valuable - that's how you'll be able to tell how many points you got from each field mat, and why it is similar to Poker. There are 7 combinations in total, and, if there's a tie, you'll use animal types to determine the winner.
That's basically a turn in Black Sheep!
Game End
Once you score a field mat, it's time to get 2 other animals for that field mat. If you run out of animals, you'll have to close that field mat. Once you close all 3 field mats, the game ends.
Then, add your score:
Here's an interesting detail about animal points: there's a number on the bottom of each animal miniature that indicates how much they're worth. Each animal gives you a certain number of points, which makes the game even more flavorful.
There are multiple types of bonus cards. You can even win with only Black Sheep if you get a certain bonus card. In this case, you won't need to add points; you'll simply win on the spot. So, that's how you can win with Black Sheep!
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In general, obviously, if no one gets this Black Sheep bonus card, whoever has more points at the end of the game wins!
Tips and Strategies
The best tip I can give you is: build the best Poker "hand" you can according to the animals on the field mats.
At the same time, always try to keep 2 useful cards in hand because, this way, you'll be able to pick, according to the field mat you're working with, between playing 1 or 2 cards at once.
Playing only 1 card is crucial when you want to discard any animal cards you don't want or consider useless. This is how you'll "refresh" your hand.
Don't forget your bonus card! It will be incredibly helpful at the end of the game, believe me!
Otherwise, if you're uncertain about which strategy to use, just get as many animals as you can. You'll have to rely on them to get points in the end.
Build the best hand you can, get bonuses, herd as many animals as you can, and win in Black Sheep!
Learn the Rules
You can learn the rules by watching the video below:
Learning Opportunities
If you're looking for a fun, easy, immersive game that is still very strategic, Black Sheep is definitely perfect for you!
This game will encourage you to work on your math skills all the time because you'll have to account for all your animals. When you add points from your field mats, let each player calculate their own scores. This will be an opportunity for them to learn as they play.
You can learn about different combinations and probabilities by focusing on combining the same types of animals. You can play really well even if you don't know much about Poker, just remember: 5 copies of the same card are better than 4 copies, and so on and so forth. Focus on the 7 possible combinations, and take this opportunity to learn!
The animal miniatures are incredible on their own; besides how beautiful they are, they also clearly indicate how many points you'll have at the end. If you pay attention to them as you play, your expectations will grow throughout the game and make everything more exciting.
Black Sheep is a lot of fun, as well as a lesson in math, management, and strategy!
I highly recommend Black Sheep for your collection!
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