Board Games
How to play Sequence
Play cards to claim spaces and complete the required straight lines of five chips.
What you need
Goliath/JAX original Sequence board, its two card decks and colored chips
Set up the game
- Assign chip colors to players or teams and deal the number of cards specified for the player count. The printed board corners are free spaces.
- This covers original Sequence, not Sequence for Kids, Dice or Letters. Team seating and the required number of sequences depend on player count.
Missing pieces, or need a fresh copy? Miniature Market stocks current editions; compare the edition and component list against the rules here before you buy. (Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How links work.)
Playing Sequence
- Play one card face up, place one chip on an unoccupied matching board space, and draw a replacement card.
- A two-eyed jack is wild for placing a chip on any open space. A one-eyed jack removes an opposing chip, except one protected by a completed sequence.
- Complete five connected chips horizontally, vertically or diagonally, counting a free corner as your color when applicable.
- The first player or team to reach the edition’s required sequences wins; two-player or two-team games commonly require two, while three-player or three-team games require one.
Choosing the blocking square
An opponent has four in a horizontal line with one end open. If you hold the card for that open space, claim it before developing your own unrelated line. A two-eyed jack can also occupy the opening; a one-eyed jack can remove an unprotected chip instead.
The two kinds of jacks have opposite jobs
Two-eyed jacks extend your pattern by placing a chip on an available square. One-eyed jacks remove a rival chip, but not a chip in an already completed sequence. Confusing these effects changes the tactics of an almost-finished line.
Beginner decisions
- Notice both ends of an opponent’s four-chip threat before committing your card.
- Keep a two-eyed jack for a key open space rather than spending it without a plan.
Common rule mix-ups
- Using a one-eyed jack to remove a chip from an already completed sequence.
- Assuming the same number of completed lines wins every player-count format.
Questions about this game
Can I place on either matching space?
Yes, if that space is open and the card has two printed locations.
Do corners need a chip?
No. The printed corner functions as a free space for every player.
Sources and edition notes
Goliath/JAX original Sequence board game; player-count and team arrangement per the included instructions.
Sources and stated format checked October 13, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
Report a rule or edition correction →