Acquire

Objective

The objective of Acquire is to become the wealthiest player by buying hotel shares, making mergers, and eventually selling your shares at high prices.

Number of Players

Acquire can be played with 3 to 6 players.

Components

• A board with a 12x9 grid
• Hotel tiles that mark hotel chain establishments
• Play money in various denominations
• Hotel stock certificates for various hotel chains
• Two reference cards for each of the seven hotel chains
• A stock price table to determine the hotel prices

Setup

1. Each player receives a certain amount of cash (typically $6,000 at the start).
2. All hotel tiles are shuffled face-down on the table.
3. Each player draws six tiles and keeps them hidden.
4. The player closest to A1 goes first.

Gameplay

Acquire is played in rounds, each consisting of the following phases:

1. Play a Tile

• The active player chooses one of their tiles and places it on the board at the corresponding grid. This can cause three possible outcomes:
• Founding a New Hotel Chain: If the tile is adjacent to no existing chain, the player can found a new hotel chain. They choose a hotel from available chains, place the hotel piece on the board, and receive a founding bonus of one free stock of this new chain.
• Expanding an Existing Chain: If the tile is adjacent to an existing chain, the chain expands by one tile.
• Merging Two Chains: If the tile connects two separate existing chains, they merge. The larger chain absorbs the smaller chain. Shareholders of the smaller chain receive dividends.

2. Buy Hotel Shares

• The player may purchase up to three shares of any hotel. The cost depends on the hotel chain's current value, size, and the price on the stock market table.

3. Draw a New Tile

• The player draws a new tile to replenish their hand to six.

Key Aspects and Strategic Tips

• Majority Bonus: In a merger, the "Majority Shareholder" (holder of most shares) and the "Minority Shareholder" (holder of the second most) receive bonus payments.
• Chains have different values and increase in value as they grow larger.
• Not all hotel chains are equal: Some start with higher base values.
• A critical part of Acquire is managing your stock portfolio carefully and timing your sales for maximum profits.

End of the Game

The game ends when all chains large enough are on the board and no new hotels can be founded. Alternatively, it ends when a player can declare it and other players agree. All stocks are cashed out, and the player with the most money wins.