Golden Goal

Overview

Golden Goal is a 2-player soccer game played on a grid.

After a hard-fought match, the score is tied and the game has gone to overtime. The first team to score a goal wins immediately!

On your turn:

1. Roll the Golden Die.
2. Choose 1 player to move.
3. Spend die pips to move that player.
4. If they reach the ball, kick it using any remaining pips.

Players can pass, bend shots, block opponents, and position their team to create a path to the winning goal.

Components

• 1 Field Mat
• 1 Golden Die
• 1 Ball
• 8 Outfielders (4 per player)
• 2 Keepers (1 per player)

Setup

1. Place the Field Mat between the players.
2. Place the Ball in the exact center of the field.
3. Each player chooses a team and takes their 5 Player Pawns:
   • 4 Outfielders
   • 1 Keeper
4. Choose a random team to place the first player.
5. Take turns placing 1 Player Pawn at a time until all players have been placed.

Each team may place their players in any order, but must follow these requirements:

• Your Keeper must start in front of your net.
• 2–3 of your Outfielders must start on your half of the field.
• 1 of those Outfielders must be in the Center Circle.
• 1–2 of your Outfielders must start on your opponent's half.
• Outfielders on your opponent's half may not start in the Center Circle.

The Field

The Field Mat is divided into square spaces, similar to a chessboard.

Only 1 player may occupy each space.

Center Line

Divides the field into two halves.

Center Circle

The Kickoff begins here.

Penalty Box

You may have at most 1 defending Outfielder inside your own Penalty Box at the end of your turn.

Front of Net

Each net has 2 spaces directly in front of it.

Normally:

• Only the defending Keeper may end their turn in these spaces.

Out of Bounds

Players may move into and through Out of Bounds spaces.

The Ball may never move Out of Bounds.

The Kickoff

To begin the game:

1. Both players roll the Golden Die.
2. If tied, roll again until one player rolls higher.
3. The team with the higher roll wins the Kickoff.
4. Move the Ball into the Center Circle space occupied by that team's player.
5. That player immediately kicks the Ball.

The Kickoff kick has a distance equal to:

Higher Roll − Lower Roll

Follow the normal rules for kicking, with the special Kickoff movement exception described below.

The team that lost the Kickoff takes the first normal turn of the game.

Kickoff Restrictions

• You may not score a goal during the Kickoff.
• The initial Kickoff kick does not receive the normal free first space.
• If the Ball is passed to another player during the Kickoff, that player's kick receives the normal free first space.

Game Turns

Players alternate turns until someone wins.

At the start of your turn:

1. Roll the Golden Die.
2. Choose 1 of your players.
3. Spend 1 or more die pips moving that player.

Only the chosen player moves during that turn.

Player Movement

Each die pip moves your chosen player 1 space.

Players follow these movement rules:

• Players move only orthogonally.
• Players may change direction any number of times while moving.
• Players may move into or through Out of Bounds spaces.
• Players may move through spaces they previously occupied during the same turn.
• Players may not move into or through a space occupied by another player.

If your player enters the space containing the Ball:

• They immediately stop moving.
• They must kick the Ball.

Any unused die pips may then be used for the kick.

Kicking the Ball

When a player kicks the Ball:

1. Choose an orthogonal or diagonal direction.
2. Move the Ball 1 space in that direction for free.
3. If you have unused die pips, you may continue moving the Ball in the same direction.
4. Spend 1 die pip for each additional space.

The Ball stops when:

• You choose to stop spending pips.
• You run out of pips.
• The Ball reaches one of your own players and is passed again.

Going the Distance

Every kick normally receives 1 free space before any die pips are spent.

This applies every time the Ball is kicked, including passes.

For example, with 2 die pips remaining, a kick can travel:

• 1 free space
• +1 space for the first pip
• +1 space for the second pip

For a total of 3 spaces.

Even with 0 pips remaining, a player can still kick the Ball 1 space.

Kickoff Exception

The initial Kickoff kick does not receive the free first space.

Instead, count the Kickoff distance directly from the player's space.

If the Ball is passed during the Kickoff:

• All subsequent kicks receive the normal free first space.

Passing

If you kick the Ball into a space occupied by one of your own players:

• That player immediately kicks the Ball again.

The new kick follows all normal kicking rules, including its free first space.

You may:

• Pass any number of times during your turn.
• Pass back to a player who already kicked during the same turn.

All remaining die pips carry through the entire sequence.

Bending a Kick

Once during each kick, you may change the Ball's direction by exactly 45 degrees.

You may bend:

• From orthogonal to diagonal.

OR

• From diagonal to orthogonal.

The bend may occur at any point during the Ball's path before:

• The Ball reaches another player.

OR

• The Ball stops.

A new kick created by a pass may use its own bend.

Blocking & Boundaries

You may not kick the Ball:

• Into a space occupied by an opposing player.
• Through a space occupied by an opposing player.
• Out of Bounds.

Opposing players therefore block the Ball's path.

End of Turn

Your turn ends when:

• All die pips have been spent and the Ball has stopped moving.

If you did not kick the Ball during your turn:

• You must spend all of your die pips moving your chosen player before ending your turn.

Keepers

Your Keeper is the only player who can normally end their move in either of the 2 spaces directly in front of your net.

The Keeper:

• May leave the front of the net.
• Moves normally.
• Kicks normally.
• Does not have to remain near the goal.

Front-of-Net Exception

If the Ball is in front of either net at the start of your turn:

• You may move an Outfielder into that space to kick the Ball.

After the Outfielder kicks:

• Immediately move that Outfielder to an adjacent empty space.
• This movement costs 0 die pips.

Scoring a Goal

To score, the Ball must move:

• From 1 of the 2 spaces directly in front of the net
• Across the End Line
• Into the goal

A shot crossing the End Line from beside the net does not score.

Hitting the Post

If the Ball hits a goal post from inside the Penalty Box:

• It bounces into the net.
• A goal is scored.

Winning the Game

The first team to score a legal goal:

• Immediately wins the game.

No Killjoy Rules

The following restrictions ensure that both teams always have opportunities to play.

No Kickoff Goal

You may not score during the initial Kickoff.

Leave a Path to the Ball

At the end of your turn:

• Your opponent must have a clear path from at least 1 of their players to the Ball without going Out of Bounds.

Penalty Box Limit

At the end of your turn:

• You may have no more than 1 defending Outfielder inside your own Penalty Box.

Front of Net

Outfielders may move through the 2 spaces directly in front of a net.

Normally, they may not end their turn there.

If the Ball begins your turn in one of these spaces:

• An Outfielder may move there to kick it.
• After kicking, immediately move that Outfielder to an adjacent empty space for free.

Longer Matches

Instead of ending the game after the first goal, you may use one of the following variants.

Time Limit

Play a total of 25 rounds.

Each round consists of:

• 1 turn for each team.

First to 3

The first team to score:

• 3 goals

wins the game.

Last Chance

When a team scores:

• The opposing team has 3 rounds to tie the game.

If they fail:

• The leading team wins.

If the game becomes tied during those 3 rounds:

• Continue playing.

Restarting After a Goal

When a goal is scored during a Longer Match:

1. The opposing team begins the next turn.
2. Place their Keeper in either space in front of their net.
3. Place the Ball with the Keeper.
4. Roll the Golden Die.
5. Kick the Ball that many spaces, counting from the Keeper's space as during the Kickoff.

If the player rolls a 1:

• Reroll the die.

Clarifications

• Only 1 Player Pawn may occupy a space.
• A player may move only orthogonally.
• The Ball may move orthogonally or diagonally.
• Players may move Out of Bounds; the Ball may not.
• Players cannot move through other players.
• The Ball cannot move into or through an opposing player.
• Entering the Ball's space immediately ends that player's movement and begins a kick.
• Each kick normally receives 1 free space.
• A kick with 0 pips remaining can therefore still move 1 space.
• Each separate kick may bend once by exactly 45 degrees.
• Passing creates a new kick and therefore another free space and another opportunity to bend.
• The initial Kickoff kick is the only kick that does not receive a free first space.
• You may pass to a player who has already kicked during the same turn.
• A goal must cross the End Line from one of the 2 spaces directly in front of the net.
• A shot from beside the net does not score.
• If the Ball hits a post from inside the Penalty Box, it bounces into the goal.
• The No Killjoy Rules must still be satisfied at the end of each turn.

Quick Reference

On Your Turn

1. Roll the die.
2. Choose 1 player.
3. Move orthogonally, spending 1 pip per space.
4. If you reach the Ball, stop moving.
5. Kick the Ball.
6. Spend remaining pips on the kick.
7. Apply all end-of-turn restrictions.

Each Kick

1. Choose an orthogonal or diagonal direction.
2. Move 1 space for free.
3. Spend 1 pip per additional space.
4. Optionally bend exactly 45° once.
5. If you pass to a teammate, that player immediately begins a new kick.

Goal

The Ball must cross the End Line from one of the 2 spaces directly in front of the net.

First legal goal wins!

Credits

• Design: Corné van Moorsel
• Illustration: Sai Beppu & Alexandra Preda
• Graphic Design: Anca Gavril & Co.
• Rules Editing: Jeff Fraser
• 3D Artist: Filip Gavril