The Bitcoin Harvest

"The Bitcoin Harvest" is a paper-and-pencil game for 2 or more players that was published on issue 16 of Bitcoin Magazine. It is a derivative of Hippos & Crocodiles by the same designer.

It uses a type of puzzle piece that has been around for more than a century: the pentomino, and also the concept of harvesting (picking items already placed on the board).

RULES

Start by drawing a rectangular grid of any size. 10x10 is recommended for beginners, but for more than 2 players you might need a bigger grid.

Secondly, and by turn, each player chooses a different pentomino shape. This pentomino will be his ‘harvester’, and the only piece he will use during the game.

The player that chose a shape in first place draws two coins in any empty cells of the grid.

Then, starting with the second player, players take turns doing the following:

1. Draw your harvester on the board, so it doesn’t overlap other previously drawn pentominos and no parts of it land outside the board. You can (and should) draw it so it overlaps some coins. Notice that you can draw it rotated or symmetrized, as long as it fits with the grid.
2. Score as many coins as the pentomino has covered
3. Draw another 2 coins in any two empty spaces (not occupied by coins or pentominoes).
4. Pass your turn to the next player.

If you’re not capable of legally drawing a pentomino (no room for it) you must pass your turn. If all players pass in succesion the game ends. The player with the highest score wins.

As a variant, before the game starts players can agree on the number of coins drawn each turn.