Objective

The objective of Acquire is to have the most wealth at the end of the game, achieved by building hotel chains, acquiring and merging them, and strategically buying and selling stocks.

Components

• Game board with a grid labeled from 1A to 12I

• 7 Hotel chains (tiles and markers)

• 108 Building tiles

• Stock certificates (25 for each hotel chain)

• Currency (play money)

• 6 Player reference cards

• Stock price chart

• Rulebook
  

Setup

1. Prepare the Board: Place the game board in the center of the table.

2. Distribute Money: Each player starts with a set amount of money (e.g., $6000).

3. Deal Building Tiles: Shuffle the building tiles and deal 6 tiles to each player. Place the remaining tiles face down to form a draw pile.

4. Select Hotel Chains: Place the hotel chain markers and stock certificates near the board.

5. Determine Starting Player: The player with the lowest numbered tile goes first (tiles are labeled 1A to 12I).
   

Gameplay

1. Place a Tile: On their turn, a player places one of their building tiles on the corresponding space on the board.

   • Start a New Hotel Chain: If the tile is placed next to no other tiles, the player may start a new hotel chain by choosing one of the available chains and placing its marker on the board. They receive a free stock certificate for that hotel chain.

   • Add to an Existing Hotel Chain: If the tile is placed next to an existing chain, it extends that chain.

   • Merge Hotel Chains: If the tile connects two or more hotel chains, a merger occurs.

     • The larger chain absorbs the smaller one. The player with the most stocks in the smaller chain receives a majority shareholder bonus, and the second largest shareholder receives a minority bonus. Other players with stock in the smaller chain receive a payout based on the stock price.

     • Players may then trade stocks of the absorbed chain for stocks in the surviving chain or sell them for cash.

   • Place a Tile Not Affecting Chains: If the tile does not affect any chains, it is simply placed on the board.

2. Buy Stocks: After placing a tile, the player may buy up to 3 stocks in any active hotel chains.

3. Draw a Tile: The player draws a new building tile from the draw pile to replace the one they played.
   

Mergers

• Merging: When a tile connects two or more hotel chains, the larger chain absorbs the smaller one.

  • Majority and Minority Shareholder Bonuses: The largest stockholder in the smaller chain receives the majority shareholder bonus, and the second largest receives the minority bonus.

  • Stock Exchange: Players can exchange stocks of the absorbed chain for stocks in the absorbing chain (2:1 ratio) or sell them for cash.
    

Winning the Game

The game ends when:

1. A hotel chain grows to 41 or more tiles, or

2. No more legal moves can be made (no tiles can be placed to start or extend chains).

Players then sell their remaining stocks at the current price and receive final bonuses for majority and minority shareholders in each chain. The player with the most money at the end wins.

Additional Rules

• Dead Tiles: If a player cannot legally place a tile, they draw a new tile until they find one that can be placed.

• Stock Limit: There is no limit to the number of stocks a player can hold.

• Endgame Conditions: Players must agree when the game will end, based on hotel size or tile placement.