1. Game Objective

The primary goal of Chai Dhaba is to run the most successful roadside tea stall (Dhaba) and acquire the highest number of customers by the end of the game.

2. Game Components

• Mixed Deck: A composite deck containing Action Cards, Attraction Cards, and Counter Event Cards.
• Event Deck: Global Event cards that trigger and impact all players each round.
• Currency (Coins): Token currency used for upkeeps, purchasing cards, and hiring staff.
• Waiters (Staff Cards):** Manager cards that dictate your maximum customer serving capacity.
• Customer Pool: A shared central supply of customer tokens representing available patrons.

3. Game Setup

Follow these steps in exact order before starting the first turn:

1. Choose a Character: Each player selects a Dhaba Character card.
2. Prepare Decks: Separate the Mixed Deck and Event Deck. Shuffle both thoroughly and place them face-down in the center of the play area.
3. Starting Hand: Each player draws 5 cards from the Mixed Deck.
4. Starting Resources:
   • Each player begins with 1 Waiter active in play.
   • Each player receives a starting capital of 20 Coins.
5. Set Up Customer Pool: Count out customer tokens into the central supply based on player count:

Turn Order: Randomly determine the first player. Turn order proceeds clockwise.

4. Turn Structure

Each player takes their turn in clockwise order. A turn consists of four mandatory phases:

Phase 1: Pay Coins (Upkeep)

Pay the designated coin upkeep for any active Attraction (Keep) Cards in front of you.

• Failure to Pay: If you cannot afford an Attraction card's upkeep, you lose the card and must move it immediately to the discard pile. Note: Customers gained in previous turns from that card are retained.
• Forfeiture Rule: If you forget to pay upkeep during Phase 1, you cannot pay it later in the turn or during an opponent's turn. The unpaid card is lost automatically.

Phase 2: Draw a Card

Draw cards from the Mixed Deck until your hand size is restored to 5 cards.

Phase 3: Play a Card

You may play one (1) card from your hand per turn (Action Card, Attraction Card, or Counter Event Card).

Phase 4: Hire Waiters (Optional)

Spend coins to hire additional Waiters to manage larger customer volumes. Each Waiter can serve up to 5 Customers.

5. Core Rules & System Mechanics

Customer Pool Rule (Permanent Loss)

The central Customer Pool is strictly limited. Any customer token gained by a player and later lost (via penalties or card attacks) is permanently discarded from play and does not return to the central supply.

Collect Income Rule

During the income collection step or via specific card mechanics, each player receives Coins equal to their current total number of customers:

Rounding Rule

Whenever any game calculation, upkeep cost, or card effect yields a fraction, always round up to the next whole integer (e.g., 1.5 becomes 2, 2.5 becomes 3).

Hand Reset Option (Once Per Game)

Once per game, a player may choose to discard their entire hand of 5 cards and draw 5 fresh cards from the Mixed Deck. Penalty: You cannot play any card during the turn you execute a hand reset.

6. Card Types & Icon Reference

Attraction Cards (+ Icon)

Placed face-up in front of you as active Keep Cards. You pay upkeep costs each round to maintain them and continuously draw customer benefits.

Action Cards (X Icon)

One-time tactical plays. Action cards cannot be countered.

Event Cards & Counter Events

Event cards apply to all players at the end of a round. Counter Event cards can be played in response to neutralize negative effects for yourself.

7. Endgame & Winning Conditions

The final round is triggered instantly when the central Customer Pool is completely depleted. Play continues until the current round finishes so all players receive equal turns.

At the end of the round, the player with the highest number of customers wins!

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)