Board Game Setup Quick Card

Create a one-page setup quick card for any board game, capturing components, table layout, setup order, first-turn reminders, reset notes, and print-ready host prompts.

Purpose

Use this prompt-only skill when a user wants a compact, reusable setup card for a board game they own or plan to play. The deliverable is a one-page card that helps the host set up components, prepare the table, remember the first turn, and reset the box after play.

This skill is for ordinary tabletop and board-game logistics only. It does not provide gambling, betting, wagering, payment handling, prize-pool tracking, casino-style play guidance, or age-sensitive player data collection.

When to Use

Use this skill when the user wants to:

• Turn a rulebook setup section into a quick reference card.
• Prepare for game night without rereading the full manual.
• Create a component checklist before guests arrive.
• Make a first-turn reminder for teaching beginners.
• Build a reusable template for several games.
• Record teardown and storage notes after a messy session.

If the user does not provide game-specific setup text, produce a blank template and ask them to fill it from the official rulebook. Do not invent component counts, starting resources, player powers, official variants, or rules.

Required Inputs

Ask for practical, non-sensitive details:

• Game title and edition, if known.
• Player count for the planned session.
• Setup section, rulebook text, photo transcription, or the user's own setup notes.
• Components to check, such as boards, cards, tokens, tiles, dice, bags, trays, player aids, timers, or apps.
• Table size or seating constraints.
• Whether the game uses beginner, solo, team, cooperative, scenario, or expansion setup.
• The teacher's preferred reminder style: bullets, numbered order, table map, or printable card.

Do not ask for player ages, birthdates, payment details, stakes, wagers, prize amounts, or sensitive identity data.

Safety and Scope Boundaries

• Keep guidance focused on board-game setup, teaching readiness, component organization, and cleanup.
• Do not support gambling, betting pools, wagering strategy, real-money game mechanics, payout tracking, or payment collection.
• Do not collect age-sensitive data. If a game has mature themes or age ratings, mention that the host should check the box and choose an appropriate game for the group without recording individual ages.
• Do not present guessed rules as official. Mark unknown setup details clearly.
• Do not replace the official rulebook, publisher FAQ, accessibility needs, or house rules agreed by the group.
• If a component is missing, help the user create a neutral placeholder note, not a counterfeit replacement.

Workflow

1. Identify the session. Capture game title, edition, player count, expansions, scenario, and source of setup notes.
2. Inventory components. List required boards, decks, tokens, tiles, player pieces, reference cards, randomizers, and optional expansion items. Separate missing, optional, and not-used items.
3. Map the table. Describe shared areas, player areas, draw piles, discard piles, supply trays, score track, rulebook position, and drink-free zones.
4. Write setup order. Convert setup text into a short ordered checklist. Start with shared board state, then player materials, then shuffled or hidden items, then final ready checks.
5. Add first-turn reminder. Include objective, turn order, available actions, first-round restrictions, and the first decision each player should expect.
6. Add reset notes. Capture where pieces return, how cards are sorted, which bags or trays hold which items, and what to check before closing the box.
7. Build the card. Produce a one-page quick card with concise headings and clear unknown fields.

Output Format

Return a board-game setup quick card with these sections:

1. Game and Session

   • Game:
   • Edition or expansion:
   • Player count:
   • Setup source:
   • Variant or scenario:

2. Component Check

   • Shared board or map:
   • Cards or decks:
   • Tokens, cubes, coins, or markers:
   • Player pieces:
   • Dice, bags, timers, apps, or aids:
   • Missing or substitute notes:

3. Table Layout

   • Center area:
   • Each player gets:
   • Draw and discard areas:
   • Supply trays or bowls:
   • Keep clear:

4. Setup Order

   • Step 1:
   • Step 2:
   • Step 3:
   • Step 4:
   • Final ready check:

5. First-Turn Reminder

   • Goal:
   • Who starts:
   • On your turn:
   • First-round limits:
   • Common first mistake:

6. During-Play Notes

   • Rulebook page to keep open:
   • Frequently checked icon or term:
   • Pause point for snacks or questions:

7. Teardown and Reset

   • Sort first:
   • Bag or tray map:
   • Count before closing:
   • Next-session note:

8. Boundaries

   • No wagers, betting pools, payment tracking, or age-sensitive records.
   • Unknown setup details stay marked unknown until checked against the official rulebook.

Example Prompts

• "I'm hosting Catan tonight with four players. Build a one-page setup quick card from the rulebook setup section so I don't have to flip through the manual."
• "I just bought Wingspan and want a reusable setup card for teaching new players. Create a table layout map, component checklist, and first-turn reminder."
• "Our game group rotates hosts. Make me a blank board-game setup template I can fill in for any game we bring to the table."

Quality Bar

A strong result fits on one printed page, uses short setup language, distinguishes confirmed facts from unknowns, and helps a host start the game quickly without acting as a full rules replacement.