How to play
One reader, a deck of cards, and any wall with colored holds. Here’s the whole game.
A game, start to finish
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Step 1: Set up the deck
Split the deck into action cards and color cards. Take out any colors your wall doesn’t have.
- Start
Step 2: Pick your start
The reader turns over 4 color cards. Each climber picks 4 starting holds in those colors: 2 for hands, 2 for feet. Then the reader shuffles those color cards back into the deck.
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Step 3: The call
Once everyone is on their starting holds, the reader flips a color card and an action card and reads them out loud.
Heel hook. Blue.
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Step 4: Make the move
Move to match the call. The reader sets the pace, so the next call can come as fast or as slow as you like.
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Step 5: Keep going until you fall
The game goes on until you fall. Count the calls you held on through: that’s your score. Then swap readers.
The rules
- There’s 1 reader, and as many climbers as your wall can fit.
- If an unrelated hand or foot comes off a hold during a move, it stays off every hold until it’s called back into play. Smearing is allowed.
- A hand or foot has to change holds at every call. If it’s already on the called color, it still has to move.
- Get established on each move before the next cards are read. If you don’t, that hand or foot is off until it’s called back into play.
House rules are encouraged!
Climbing is inherently dangerous. Play at your own risk.
The cards
Action cards tell you what to move. Color cards tell you which color hold to move it to. The deck and all of its card art were made without generative AI.
