What is the main objective of Grove?

The main objective of Grove is to strategically overlap cards featuring fruit trees to harvest the most fruit, tracked by dice, and score as many points as possible.

How do you increase fruit yield in Grove?

Fruit yield is increased by overlapping matching fruit trees. Each time a tree with a die is overlapped with matching fruit, its die value increases. If a die reaches 6 and is increased again, it becomes a 'basket' worth 10 points. If a basket is increased, it becomes a 'wheelbarrow' worth 15 points.

What are Glades and how do they work?

Glades are empty spaces on Grove cards that act as wildcards, allowing you to overlap any tree. However, overlapping a tree with a glade does not increase its yield. Additionally, any die left on a glade at the end of the game will not score points, so it needs to be covered by another tree before the game ends to count.

What is the squirrel token for?

Once per game, you can use the squirrel token to perform a non-matching fruit overlap. However, at the end of the game, the squirrel token deducts one point for each die it is orthogonally adjacent to.

Are there different ways to play Grove?

Yes, in addition to the basic game, you can play with 'advanced recipe mode'. This involves drawing two random recipe cards at the start, each with unique scoring objectives, and aiming to beat a combined target score.

Main Content

Introduction to Grove

Grove is a compact, solo puzzle-style microgame and the citrusy sequel to the award-winning Orchard 9-card solitaire game. Designed by Mark Tuck and published by Side Room Games, it challenges players to strategically overlap cards to grow fruit and score as many points as possible within a limited space. The game is quick to learn, highly replayable, and perfect for solo gamers who enjoy puzzley card games. It features 18 cards with orange, lemon, and lime trees, along with a new 'wild card' element called glades.

How to Play: Core Mechanics

Setup

To begin a game of Grove, keep your fruit dice (numbered 2 through 6, with a basket representing 10 points) and squirrel token within easy reach. Shuffle the Grove cards and deal them into two nine-card decks. You'll play with one deck of nine cards per game. Take the top card of your chosen deck and place it face up in the play area as your starting card. Then, draw the next two cards to form your hand.

Card Placement

Each turn, you'll play one card from your hand, place dice, and then draw another card to refill your hand back to two. When playing a card, you must cover at least one section of an existing card. The primary rule for overlapping is that the fruit of any overlapping tree must match the fruit of the tree underneath it. You can rotate cards 90° or 180° to best fit into your grove.

Growing Fruit (Dice Mechanics)

For each tree that is overlapped for the first time with a matching fruit, you add a die of the corresponding fruit color. The value on the die should be set to the number of fruit sections visible on that tree. For example, if you overlap limes and oranges, you'll add a lime die and an orange die, setting their values to the total number of visible limes and oranges on those trees respectively.

If a tree already has a die and is overlapped again with matching fruit, the die's value increases. If the die value would exceed '6', it rotates to show a basket of '10' points. If a die with a value of '10' (basket) is further increased, it gets replaced by the Wheelbarrow token, which is worth 15 points. There is only one Wheelbarrow token, so this can only happen once per game.

Glades

An empty space on every card is called a Glade. Glades are essentially wild, meaning they can be used to overlap any tree. However, when a glade overlaps a tree, you do not gain any yield on the tree it overlaps. Conversely, any tree can be overlapped by a Glade at any time, but that tree's Fruit die will not increase its yield. Crucially, any Fruit die on a Glade at the end of the game will not score. To ensure it scores, a Fruit die on a Glade needs to be overlapped by another tree before the game ends.

The Squirrel Token

Once per game, you can choose to overlap two trees that do not have matching fruit. If you do this, you must take the squirrel token. At the end of the game, the squirrel token is worth negative one point for each die it is orthogonally adjacent to.

Scoring Explained

The game ends when you have played the final card from your deck and placed any associated dice and tokens. Your score is the sum of the values on all the dice within your grove. Remember, any dice that are on glades do not count towards your score unless they are subsequently covered by a fruit tree. The Wheelbarrow token, if earned, is worth 15 points.

For additional challenge, you can play with advanced recipe mode. Before setup, you draw two random recipe cards from the deck. Each card has a different scoring objective, and you'll add the two values in the corner to get a target score you must beat.

Advanced Gameplay: Recipe Cards and the Squirrel

Recipe cards introduce varied scoring objectives, adding depth and replayability. These cards often provide specific goals, such as collecting a certain combination of fruits or achieving particular die values, which can guide your card placement decisions throughout the game.

The squirrel token offers a tactical choice: a one-time non-matching overlap for strategic card placement, but at the cost of potential negative points if not managed carefully by the end of the game.

Key Strategies for High Scores

Maximize Overlaps: Grove isn't just about overlapping as many cards as possible, but specifically maneuvering to overlap the same spots multiple times. This is crucial for boosting individual tree yields.

Aim for Baskets and Wheelbarrows: Consistently getting your trees to yield 10 (a basket) or 15 (a Wheelbarrow) points is a key to mastering Grove. The jump from 10 to 15 is particularly significant. Once a tree reaches 10 yield, try to get one more overlap to promote it to the Wheelbarrow token for a whopping 15 points.

Prioritize High-Yield Trees: Some trees offer more yield than others. For instance, the middle Lime and Lemon trees on cards often have 2 yield each, making them more valuable targets for multiple overlaps compared to trees with only 1 yield. Consider the net gain of points when deciding between different card placements. For example, overlapping two Lime dice for a net gain of 4 points might be better than overlapping an Orange, Lemon, and Lime die for a net gain of 3 points.

Manage Glades Carefully: While glades are wild and allow for flexible overlaps, remember that any die on a glade at the end of the game will not score. If you place a die on a glade, ensure you cover it with another tree before the game ends to promote it and make it scorable.

Strategic Squirrel Use: Use the squirrel token's non-matching overlap ability wisely. It can be a powerful tool to achieve a critical overlap, but be mindful of its potential negative score at the end of the game.

Consider Recipe Goals (if playing with them): If using recipe cards, let their objectives guide your strategy. They provide specific targets that can help you focus your card placements and dice promotions.

Note on other games named 'Grove': While there is a tower defense game called 'Grove' on Steam where players protect a forest from lumberjacks by planting and upgrading trees [cite: 3 (from initial search)], specific gameplay tips and tricks for this particular game were not found in the search results. Information found regarding 'Grove' tower defense strategies appears to be misattributed from another game, 'Legion TD 2'. There are also other games like 'Cozy Grove' and older titles, but this guide focuses on the 9-card solitaire game, which is the primary context for 'Grove' gameplay strategy found in the search results.

Comprehensive Guide to Grove (9-Card Solitaire Game)

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