# Points Odyssey — Board Game Rules

**A Eurogame of credit-card points, hotel stays, and domestic US award travel**  
**Players:** 3–6 · **Play time:** 60–90 minutes · **Ages:** 12+

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## Theme

You are a points-and-miles traveler racing across the United States. Each round you earn bank points from everyday spending, apply for credit cards, transfer points into hotel and airline programs, book award flights and free-night stays, complete Ticket-to-Ride–style trip tickets, and chase long-term achievements. The traveler with the highest Victory Points (VP) after final scoring wins.

Game systems are **inspired by** real US transfer ecosystems (Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Bilt Rewards) and major US hotel/airline networks. Numbers are simplified for playability, not a real-world award chart.

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## Components (Digital Edition)

| Component | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| US Board | 16 cities, airline routes (United / Delta / American), hotel resorts |
| Character cards | 6 traveler archetypes with unique spend profiles |
| Credit cards | Bank-issued cards that convert spend into bank points |
| Bank point balances | Chase · Amex · Citi · Bilt |
| Hotel points | Marriott · Hilton · Hyatt |
| Airline miles | United · Delta · American |
| Trip tickets | Secret origin→destination routes (Ticket to Ride style) |
| Event deck | One random event drawn at the start of each turn |
| Achievement trackers | Lifetime segments, nights, bank diversity, etc. |

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## Setup

1. Choose **3–6 players**. Sit in turn order (clockwise).
2. Each player draws (or picks, then randomizes order) a **Character**. Characters are unique.
3. Each player receives a **home city** (random, or character default) and places their pawn there.
4. Deal each player **3 Trip Tickets**. Keep **2**, discard 1 face-down to the ticket deck bottom. (You may keep all 3 in a harder variant.)
5. Shuffle the **Event deck**.
6. Each player starts with:
   - **$3,000** monthly spend budget each Income phase
   - A **starter credit card** matching their character (so round 1 can earn)
   - A small bank seed (~3,000 Chase) plus any instant signup on the starter card
   - **0** hotel/airline points (until you transfer)
7. Place the board, set **Round marker to 1**, and **Max rounds = 10** (default).
8. The player who most recently used a travel credit card goes first (or random).

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## Characters (lifestyle spend odds + special skills)

Characters do **not** grant earn multipliers. **Earn rates come only from credit cards** (0× without a card).

What characters *do* change is the **probability that each spend category appears** during Income. Each turn the game rolls your **$3,000** monthly budget into several chunks; each chunk lands on a category weighted by your lifestyle profile.

| Character | Spend appearance (approx.) | Special skill |
|-----------|----------------------------|---------------|
| **The Consultant** | Travel, dining, flights/hotels | Flights **−12%** miles; **+1 VP** per private ticket |
| **The Family** | Groceries, gas, hotels, travel | Hotels **−25%** / **+3 VP** stay; start **8k Mar + 8k Hyatt + 4k Hilton**; groceries **+1 VP**/turn; private tickets **+1 VP** |
| **The Nomad** | Transit, travel, hotels/flights | First flight **−40%** miles and **+1 VP**; **+3 VP** per newly visited city |
| **The Foodie** | Dining, groceries dominant | Dining spend: **+1 VP** once/turn; dining earn **−44%** points |
| **The Landlord** | Rent dominant, some dining/travel | Bilt earn **+35%**; rent ≥**2×** on Bilt; all earn **+8%** |
| **The Executive** | Flights, hotels, dining, travel | **3** cards; signups **+25%**; **$10k** Chase; hotel **+4 VP**; **+2 VP**/income; unfinished tickets **½ penalty** |

**Points earned** = dollars in category × best **credit card** earn rate for that category.

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## Bank Ecosystems & Transfer Partners

Inspired by real transfer partnerships (simplified for domestic play):

| Bank | Real inspiration | Airline partners (game) | Hotel partners (game) | Notes |
|------|------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|-------|
| **Chase** | Ultimate Rewards | **United** 1:1 | **Hyatt** 1:1, **Marriott** 1:1 | Hyatt is the “premium value” hotel transfer |
| **Amex** | Membership Rewards | **Delta** 1:1 | **Hilton** 1:2*, **Marriott** 1:1 | *Hilton: transfer 1 bank pt → 2 Hilton pts (inflated stock) |
| **Citi** | ThankYou Rewards | **American** 1:1 | **Hilton** 1:1 | Strong AA path; fewer hotel options |
| **Bilt** | Bilt Rewards | **United** 1:1, **American** 1:1 | **Hyatt** 1:1, **Marriott** 1:1 | Most flexible; shines with Rent spend |

**Rule of thumb:** Keep points in the bank until you need them. Transfers are **one-way**. Transfer bonuses may appear as **Events**.

### Credit Cards

Players may apply for cards during their turn (Apply action). Each card:

- Belongs to one **bank**
- Has a **signup bonus** (large one-time points after spending a threshold)
- Has **earn rates** by category (e.g. 3× dining, 1× other)
- Counts against your **card limit** (default **3 cards**; Executive **4**)

You cannot hold two identical cards. Some cards require a minimum credit score track (abstracted as “Approval roll” or auto-approve if you have fewer than 2 cards).

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## The Board

### Cities (16)

| Code | City | Region | Airline hubs (primary) | Hotels available |
|------|------|--------|------------------------|------------------|
| NYC | New York | Northeast | UA, DL, AA | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| BOS | Boston | Northeast | DL | Marriott, Hilton |
| WAS | Washington DC | Northeast | UA, AA | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| ATL | Atlanta | Southeast | **DL fortress** | Marriott, Hilton |
| MIA | Miami | Southeast | **AA** | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| ORD | Chicago | Midwest | **UA**, AA | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| MSP | Minneapolis | Midwest | **DL** | Marriott, Hilton |
| DFW | Dallas | South | **AA fortress** | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| IAH | Houston | South | **UA** | Marriott, Hilton |
| DEN | Denver | Mountain | **UA** | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| PHX | Phoenix | Southwest | **AA** | Marriott, Hilton |
| LAS | Las Vegas | Southwest | — (all fly) | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| LAX | Los Angeles | West | UA, DL, AA | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| SFO | San Francisco | West | **UA** | Marriott, Hyatt |
| SEA | Seattle | Northwest | **DL**, UA | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt |
| MSY | New Orleans | South | — | Marriott, Hilton |

### Airline Routes

Each route is colored by **primary airline** (that airline’s miles can book it). Some popular corridors are **multi-airline** (any of the listed airlines can book).

- **United (blue):** NYC–ORD, ORD–DEN, DEN–SFO, SFO–LAX, NYC–IAH, IAH–LAX, ORD–LAS, DEN–SEA, WAS–ORD, SFO–SEA, …
- **Delta (red):** ATL–NYC, ATL–MIA, ATL–MSP, ATL–LAX, ATL–SEA, MSP–SEA, BOS–ATL, ATL–LAS, JFK/NYC–LAX, …
- **American (silver):** DFW–NYC, DFW–LAX, DFW–MIA, DFW–PHX, MIA–NYC, PHX–LAX, ORD–DFW, WAS–MIA, CLT-style WAS–ATL via AA corridors, …

Exact route list and mile costs live in the digital rules engine (`js/data.js`).

### Hotels / Resorts (signature properties)

Each city lists **named signature hotels** (e.g. *Park Hyatt New York*, *Atlanta Marriott Marquis*, *Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas*), not bare brand labels. Paying still uses that property’s **loyalty currency** (Marriott / Hilton / Hyatt points).

**Contention:** only the **first** player to stay at a given property claims it and earns its VP. That hotel is then **locked** for everyone else (shown live on the map city panel and book modal). Each stay is **exactly one night**.

Hotel nights are a **primary scoring path**: award costs are discounted (~25%), base stay VP is **doubled**, Family gets +2, and the first stay in each city +1 VP. Leftover unspent points convert poorly at game end—**travel and hotels beat hoarding**.

Full property roster lives in `js/data.js`.

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## Turn Structure

Each player’s turn has **four phases** in order:

### 1. Event Phase (mandatory)

Draw **1 Event card** and resolve it immediately.

Example events:

| Event | Effect |
|-------|--------|
| Transfer Bonus | Next transfer to a named partner gets +25% or +30% |
| Double Dip Dining | Dining spend earns 2× this turn |
| Points Audited | Lose 5,000 of your highest bank balance |
| Companion Certificate | Next flight for this player costs 50% miles |
| Award Space Opens | Choose one route: mile cost −20% this turn |
| Account Takeover | Steal 3,000 points from the leader’s richest bank |
| Status Match | +1 free night VP on your next hotel stay |
| Rent Day | If Landlord (or anyone with Bilt card): +50% Bilt earn this turn |
| Devaluation | One random hotel brand: stay costs +25% this round (all players) |
| Flash Sale | One city: hotel nights −30% cost this turn |

### 2. Income Phase (automatic)

1. Roll **lifestyle spend** ($3,000): category chunks by character odds (no re-roll, no manual allocation).
2. For each category, earn on the **card you assigned** for that category (**Earn prefs**). If unset, use your **best rate** card. **No card → 0×**.
3. Track **signup bonus progress** on the card that earned the spend.
4. You may change earn prefs any time on your turn; they apply to the **next** income.

### 3. Action Phase (tight economy)

Each turn after income you get **three slots**:

| Slot | What you can do |
|------|-----------------|
| **Free Transfer** (once) | Move bank points → hotel or airline partner. Does **not** cost Build. Extra transfers cost your Build. |
| **Build** (once) | **Apply for Card**, **Draw Trip Tickets**, or **Rest / Plan** (+ bank points). |
| **Travel** (once) | **Book Flight** or **Book Hotel**. |

| Action | Effect |
|--------|--------|
| **Apply for Card** | Gain one new credit card (if under limit). *(Build)* |
| **Transfer Points** | Bank → partner at listed ratio; apply transfer bonuses. *(Free once, else Build)* |
| **Book Flight** | Nonstop or **one-stop same airline**. Consumes **1 award ticket** from that airline (**2 tickets per airline per round**). A one-stop still costs **1** ticket. May complete private tickets and claim **race goals**. *(Travel)* |
| **Book Hotel** | **1 night** at one signature hotel in your city. **First stay claims** the property (VP to claimer only; locked afterward). *(Travel)* |
| **Draw Trip Tickets** | Draw 2, keep ≥1. *(Build)* |
| **Rest / Plan** | +3,000 to a bank you use. *(Build)* |

### 4. End of Turn

- Pass to the next player  
- When the round advances: **airline award tickets refill** (2 each for UA / DL / AA)

After Round 10, **Final Scoring**.

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## Trip Tickets & Race Goals

### Private tickets

Each ticket shows **Origin → Destination**, **VP if completed**, and **penalty if incomplete** at game end.

**Completion (ordered):** You must **land at the origin first**, then **later land at the destination**.

Example: **DEN → NYC** — visit DEN first; only after DEN is checked can NYC be checked. Landing in NYC before DEN does **not** count for that ticket; you would need DEN, then NYC again.

No continuous flight path is required—only the ordered landings on your journey.

Opening tickets prefer endpoints near home. You may hold up to **4**.

### Public race goals (shared contention)

Three face-up **🏁 race goals** sit on the board. **First player** to complete the **origin → destination** order claims the goal (ticket VP + **+2** race bonus). A new goal is dealt from the deck.

### Award tickets (per airline)

Each airline (United / Delta / American) has **2 award tickets per round**.

- Booking a **nonstop or one-stop** itinerary costs **1 ticket** for that airline (connections do not double-count).
- When an airline’s tickets hit 0, you cannot book that airline until the **next round**.
- Inventory **resets when the round advances**.

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## Achievements (extra VP)

Claimed once when the condition is first met:

| Achievement | Condition | VP |
|-------------|-----------|----|
| **Million Miler** | Complete **12** flight segments (scaled “100 segments” fantasy → playable 12) | 10 |
| **Road Warrior** | Complete **8** segments | 5 |
| **Hotel Hopper** | Stay **10** total nights | 6 |
| **60-Night Legend** | Stay **15** nights (scaled from 60) | 12 |
| **Hyatt Week** | Stay **5** nights at Hyatt properties | 5 |
| **Coast to Coast** | Complete any ticket that links a West Coast city to an East Coast city | 4 |
| **Hub Master** | Land in **4** different fortress hubs (ATL, DFW, ORD, DEN, or SFO) | 5 |
| **Polyglot Points** | Hold ≥5,000 points in **all four** banks at once (snapshot) | 6 |
| **Transfer Titan** | Complete **6** point transfers | 4 |
| **Sapphire Stacker** | Hold 3+ Chase cards… *(digital: hold cards from 3 different banks)* | 5 |

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## Scoring

### During the game

- Trip tickets completed: **+VP** on the ticket
- Hotel stays: **VP printed** on each signature property (1 night, once per property)
- Achievements: as above

### Final scoring (after Round 10)

1. **Incomplete tickets:** apply **penalties**
2. **Leftover points:** convert at **very weak** rates (hoarding loses to travel)  
   - Bank points: 12,000 → 1 VP  
   - Hotel points: 25,000 → 1 VP  
   - Airline miles: 20,000 → 1 VP  
3. **Most cities visited:** +3 VP (tie: all tied players get +2)
4. **Longest continuous route** (most segments in one path): +4 VP

Highest total VP wins. Ties → most cities visited → most segments → shared victory.

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## Strategy Notes (for players new to points)

1. **Match bank to goal.** Chase → United + Hyatt. Amex → Delta + Hilton. Citi → American. Bilt → flexible UA/AA + Hyatt.
2. **Don’t transfer early** unless an Event bonus is active or you need a stay/flight this turn.
3. **Trip tickets drive the map.** Pick tickets that share cities (network efficiency).
4. **Signup bonuses** are the fastest way to a first free night or flight.
5. **Hilton is “inflated.”** Amex’s 1:2 transfer looks generous; nights cost more Hilton points.
6. **Hyatt is efficient.** Fewer points per night and solid VP — Chase and Bilt players often race Hyatt.

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## Variants

| Variant | Change |
|---------|--------|
| **Sprint (4 rounds)** | Faster; deal only 2 tickets keep 1; achievements half VP |
| **Expert** | Keep all 3 opening tickets; card approval requires spending last turn |
| **Co-op Odyssey** | Shared VP target; beat the “Devaluation” boss meter |
| **Open Table** | Draft characters face-up |

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## Digital Implementation Notes

- **Hotseat multiplayer** on localhost: players share one browser and take turns.
- Auto-spend presets follow held credit cards’ best earn categories (0× if no cards).
- Map is interactive SVG/canvas over a stylized US board.
- Full component data: `js/data.js`. Engine: `js/game.js`. UI: `js/ui.js`.

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## Credits & Disclaimer

*Points Odyssey* is a fan-made educational board game. It is **not** affiliated with Chase, American Express, Citi, Bilt, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, United, Delta, or American Airlines. Transfer partners and award economics are simplified for game design and will not match live program rules.

Designed for playable Eurogame structure with real-world flavor from publicly documented US transferable-points ecosystems (2025–2026 era partners: Chase↔United/Hyatt, Amex↔Delta/Hilton, Bilt↔United/American/Hyatt, etc.).