SCOOP is a game of editing newspapers. It is very different from any other game, and its principles of play are new and exciting. Beginners are urged to read the rules carefully before commencing play.

Components

• Dial telephone
• 6 Newspaper layouts
• SCOOP Cards
• Paper money
• Advertisements and assorted stories
• Instructions

Object of the Game

Setup

One player is chosen to deal. He gives each player including himself a blank newspaper page and $3,000 (two $500 bills and twenty $100 bills). He places the various packs of story cards and advertisement cards in the center of the table with the values face down.

He then shuffles the SCOOP cards and deals three to each player face down. The rest of the pack is placed face down in the center of the table forming a draw pile.

As players discard during the game the discarded cards are placed face up to form another pile alongside the draw pile. When the draw pile is exhausted the discards are reshuffled to start a new draw pile.

Game Play

The player to the left of the dealer plays first. He may make any one of the following plays:

1. Claim a Story

   In order to claim a story a player must first have in his possession the three cards indicated on his newspaper page for the type of story he wishes to claim. If a player has the required three cards, he may place them on the table and call "Story".

   The player then dials on the telephone, the number indicated on the telephone card which is always one of the three required cards. (See Use of the Telephone below).

   If, as a result of his phone call, he receives a favorable decision, he is entitled to take a story card from the top of the appropriate pile and place it in position on his newspaper.

   He plays his three cards onto the discard pile and makes up his hand by drawing the three top cards from the draw pile free of charge. If the story is not acceptable to the editor he is not entitled to take a card from a story pile.

   He still must discard the three cards which made up his story and draw three new cards from the draw pile. In this case, however, he must pay $100 for each card that he draws.

   It is not necessary to telephone for an advertisement. Once a player has the three necessary cards in his possession he may, on his turn, play the three cards to the discard pile and take the top card from the advertisement pack placing it in position on his newspaper page. He is then entitled to take the three top cards from the draw pile without charge.

2. Play one or two cards from his hand to the "reserve" section of his newspaper page and replace these cards by buying from the top of the draw pile at a price of $100 per card.

   No more than three cards may be held in a player's hand, but he may place two cards on each of his two reserve spaces; thus it is possible for a player at any time after his second turn to have a total of seven cards in his possession.

   Each set of cards held in reserve must pertain to a particular type of story or advertisement and must be playable as a complete story with an additional card or cards. For instance, a player may build a set for an advertisement on one reserve space, and a set for a sport story on his other reserve space.

   The cards which he holds in reserve are vulnerable and may be taken from him (see rules under SCOOP Cards). Cards placed in reserve cannot be removed until they are used as part of a complete story.

   
   
   

3. Exchange a card by playing a card that he does not want face up to the table starting the discard pile, and taking the top card from the draw pile into his hand. This play costs nothing.

When the first player has completed his play and has refilled his hand, the player to his left plays in a similar manner and play continues around the table.

Use of the Telephone

The unique feature of this game is the dial telephone. When the knob on the telephone is moved to a number and then returned all the way to the right, a signal appears in the window in the center of the telephone.

These signals must be followed as they determine the success or failure of each player in filling his newspaper page with the required stories and advertisements. A brief explanation of these signals is listed below:

Playing Cards in Reserve

When a player has one or more cards in his reserve pile and holds in his hand the additional card or cards necessary to make a story, he may play them in exactly the same manner as if he held all of the cards in his hand.

If his story is accepted, he draws from the draw pile without charge only the number of cards necessary to restore his hand to three. He does not replace the cards in his reserve but may, of course, play additional cards to his reserve on the next turn.

If his story is not accepted he draws the necessary cards to complete his hand but must pay $100 for each card so drawn.

Special Scoop Cards

In the deck of SCOOP Cards there are three special SCOOP Cards. These cards cannot be used to make up a story, their sole purpose being to capture a card or cards from the reserves of other players.

If a player holds in his hand a SCOOP Card and the additional card or cards which, when combined with one or more cards on another player's reserve space, make up a story, he may on his turn shout "SCOOP" and capture the card or cards which he wants.

He must, however, play the captured cards along with the necessary cards from his own hand immediately and must dial for a story just as if he had held all the cards in his own hand.

He must also discard the SCOOP Card at the same time and then refill his hand so that he holds a total of three cards. It is also permissible to SCOOP an advertisement in the same manner.

Three Star Stories

Three Star Stories are determined solely by the editor and can be obtained only as a result of his decision over the telephone.

If a player, in calling for a decision on a story, receives the Three Star signal, he may take a Three Star Story in place of the one for which he was dialing. Unless his Three Star spaces are filled he will usually do this since the Three Star Stories are the most valuable.

It is possible to have two Three Star Stories on one newspaper page. One is required and must be placed on the indicated space. The second is optional and can be played in the two spaces marked "Star Story".

Should a player already have one (or two) Single'Star Stories in place when he obtains a second Three Star Story, he may remove it to make room for the Three Star Story, and offer it for sale at its printed value, the player to his left having the first opportunity to buy.

If no player wishes to buy the Star Story he may keep it, and at the end of the game count it in his total score at one-half of its printed value. No other stories may be sold (except in case of bankruptcy) and all other stories must be placed on their proper spaces.

Substitution of Copy

Even though a player may already have on his newspaper page two stories of any one type, it may be to his advantage to obtain additional stories if he holds the proper cards.

On obtaining an additional story he may look at the value of the cards which he already played and the new one which he has obtained and keep the two which have the highest value.

The story which has the least value is placed at the bottom of the appropriate pile, and is not counted in the player's score.

Bankruptcy

Blocking

End of the Game

The game can be ended in two ways. First, a player may end the game by "Going to Press" at any time the word "Press" shows up on the dial telephone when he has phoned to see if his story is acceptable to the editor.

A player does not have to "Go to Press" but may elect to take his story instead. In this situation he will only "Go. to Press" if he believes that he has more value in stories and money than any other player.

Second, the game is ended when any one player has completely filled his newspaper page with stories and advertisements. This player announces that he has "Gone to Press".

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