Outline for teaching the Modern Art rules

(Method based on Mario Lanza's The Finer Points Of Teaching Rules.)


1. Set up the board and components.


2. Distill the game down to a few sentences. (Less than a minute.)

In this game, you will be buying and selling paintings. The person with the most money at the end of the game is the winner."


3. Paint an overview for the whole game. (1 to 3 minutes.)

There are two ways to make money. On your turn, you choose a painting to sell. The other players will compete to buy your painting. Then the next player chooses a painting to sell. Everyone will compete to buy their painting. And so on in a circle.

The second way to make money is when the round ends. The round ends when five paintings by the same artist have been sold. When the round ends, the paintings that have been sold are sold again to the bank.

Then we do a second round. We take turns selling paintings. The round ends when five paintings by the same artist have been sold. The paintings are then sold again to the bank.

Then we do a third round. We take turns selling paintings. The round ends when five paintings by the same artist have been sold. The paintings are then sold again to the bank.

Then we do a fourth round. We take turns selling paintings. The round ends when five paintings by the same artist have been sold. The paintings are then sold again to the bank.

After four rounds, the game ends. The person with the most money is the winner.


4. Expand the overview using details—the finer points.

There are five ways to sell a painting.

Suppose I play this card. This symbol means open auction. Everyone shouts out bids. You decide when to stop. Highest bid wins.

Now it's your turn, and you play this card. This symbol means once-around auction. In a circle, each player makes one bid. You get the last bid.

Now it's your turn, and you play this card. This symbol means sealed auction. Each player puts their bid in their hand. We all reveal our bids at the same time.

Now it's your turn, and you play this card. This symbol means fixed-price auction. You name a price. In a circle, the first player to agree to that price buys it. If nobody wants to buy it, you buy it.

Now it's your turn, and you play this card. This symbol means double auction. You choose a second painting by the same artist, and sell them together. Or you let another player choose a second painting by the same artist, and they sell the paintings together. They get the money, and play continues starting at the next player. Anyone between you and that player lose their turn.

When someone shows an artist's fifth painting, the round ends immediately -- the fifth card is not sold-- and it's time to sell our paintings again, but to the bank. The most popular artist's paintings are worth $30000. The second most popular artist's paintings are worth $20000. The third most popular artist's paintings are worth $10000.

Now, in Round 2, we include the value from Round 1. So suppose this is the most popular artist, followed by this artist, followed by this artist. This artist's paintings are worth $30000 + $10000. This artist's paintings are worth $20000. This artist's paintings are worth $10000 + $20000. But how about this artist? Their paintings are worthless. Only the top three artists' paintings have value.

Now, in Round 3, we include the values from Round 1 and 2. So suppose this is the most popular artist, followed by this artist, followed by this artist. This artist's paintings are worth $30000 + $30000 + $10000. This artist's paintings are worth $20000. But how about this artist? Their paintings are worth $10000 + $20000 from Round 1, even though their paintings were worthless in Round 2.

Getting paintings to sell. You start with 9 paintings to sell. You will get 4 more paintings to sell after Round 1, and 4 more paintings after Round 2. You will not get any more paintings to sell after Round 3.


5. Cover the exceptions, if any.

Special situation #1. Nobody bids. You get the painting for free (unless it's a fixed-price auction -- in that case, you pay for the painting).

Special situation #2. Two artists have the same number of paintings. The artist on the left wins the tie. (Example).

Special situation #3. Playing a double-auction card by itself. The only time you may want to play the double-auction card by itself is if 3 paintings by that artist are on the table. You play your double-auction card, and when someone completes it, the round immediately ends without an auction because 5 paintings are now on the table. If nobody completes it, you get the painting for free.


6. Teach basic strategies and offer "fair warning." (1 or 2 minutes.)

How much do you bid for a painting? In the first round, the maximum a painting is worth is $30000 -- that's how much the bank will give you for paintings by the most popular artist. In the second round, that artist's paintings might be worth $30000+$30000 if they are again the most popular artist. Or $30000+$20000 if second place. Or $30000+$10000 if third place. Or $0 if fourth or fifth place.

And suppose a painting will be worth $30000 and you buy it for $30000 from Dale. Later you sell it to the bank for $30000. How much has your money changed by? 0. How about Dale? He has earned $30000. So try not to pay more than half of what a painting is worth, otherwise the other player will get more money than you. So if you buy the painting for $15000 from Dale, how much money does Dale get? $15000. Later you sell it to the bank for $30000. How much has your money changed by? $15000. So you and Dale are even.

Let's look at the characteristics of the five auctions. (Acknowledgement: Shannon Appelcline's review).

Once-around auction. This favours you and the person on your right.

Fixed-price auction. This favours the person on your left.

Open auction. This is the fairest auction.

Sealed auction. People tend to bid high.

Double auction. These are powerful because they influence which artist is No. 1.