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Here are some basic rules, although each different type of swap will have it's own specifics, and each swap leader may have their own specific rules that differ from these: Each Swap will generally have 3 threads devoted to it, the books revealed thread, the game moves only thread, and the gameplay and chat thread. This is to make it easier to follow the game itself, and to refer back to what books have been revealed. 1. Player #1 calls on any of the OTHER players to REVEAL their book. You cannot reveal your own book until someone ELSE calls on you to reveal! 2. Whoever is called on to REVEAL posts the name and author of their book and a brief description. (please also post in the thread for book descriptions only) 3. The revealed book goes to Player #1. 4. Player #2 can either - steal Player #1's book! In this case, Player #1 must call on someone else to REVEAL and the newly revealed book goes to Player #1 OR - call on someone else to REVEAL and the newly revealed book goes to Player #2 5. Player #3 can then either steal from Player #1 or from Player #2 or ask someone else to REVEAL. 6. Each player following #1 can steal any revealed book that any other player has. The player who has their book stolen can also steal from any other player so that once more players are involved, several steals can take place before another REVEAL. The only restriction is that you CANNOT steal a book that has just been stolen from you! Each book swap will have a certain number of maximum steals per book (this does not include initial reveal), and then the book is OUT OF PLAY. Max steals are often set at 5, but this is not always the case. 7. Player #1 gets to make the final play if they have not been stolen from, and been allowed the chance to steal in return during the game. 8. There are no time limits, other than if you haven't made your first move and your book hasn't been revealed, you will be skipped if you haven't been online within 12 hours once your turn comes up. We will put you at the end of the list. The exception to this is the Almost Live Swap, which has a time limit of 10 minutes to take a turn. |
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Yankee Book Swap - Often shortened to YBS, this is the general swap version covered by the above instructions, and is typically for books of various genres.
Themed Book Swap - Same as the Yankee Book Swap, only a certain genre or theme will be specified, for example: A Christmas Swap would be for books containing a Christmas theme, A Mystery Swap would be for Mystery Books only, etc. Almost Live Swap - Often shortened to ALS, follows the same guidelines as the Yankee swap EXCEPT that there is a time limit of 20 minutes per move. Players in this swap should plan to be available for the duration of the swap to keep things moving quickly. This swap takes place over only several hours, where a normal swap takes several days to complete. Raiding Bookshelves Swap - In this swap each player does not get to choose their own reveal. Instead, at the beginning of play, each player must make certain to have a significant number of books marked available on their Bookcrossing shelf. The player can specify if they want to include TBR, or only use the AVL category. 15-20 books should be sufficient for this. In this game, instead of a player being called on to reveal, the player whose turn it is can either steal from those who have gone before (as in a regular swap), or they can choose to raid someone's shelf from the specified category, and the book the raider chooses, is the raidee's revealed book that goes into play. The game continues with the same rules as a normal swap, except that the reveal is instead a "raid". |
| An Exchange Group is a group of 12 BC'ers who have agreed to form a group in which each of them has a month assigned to them. When it is their month, each of the others in the group, sends to them a book chosen using either the receiver's wishlist or guidelines provided by that receiver (usually established in the original thread where everyone in the group states preferences). You may send more than one book, and include other goodies if you wish (i.e. bookmarks, postcards, whatever you like) but you are not obligated to do so, the understanding is 1 book from each in the group! In theory, you will be sending out 11 books over the course of the year, and receiving 11 back in return. They may be BC labeled or not, as some people may choose to send books using online book sites such as Amazon.com or Paperbackswap.com (this also is not required, just another option!). It is a good idea to have someone each month (other than the person receiving!) keeping track of what books are being sent by the others to avoid duplicates. Keep in mind: when signing up for one of these exchange groups, you are signing up for an exchange project lasting a year (or whatever other terms, so far, they have all been a year in length), and you will likely need to mail packages internationally! Please only sign up if you are certain you can do this, so the other exchangers in the group are not disappointed! (Of course barring emergencies, etc. Real life happens, we know that!) |
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Everyone uses different ways of deciding on a swap book, but here are some common ones: 1. Check out the wishlists of the players in the swap, if your book is on several wishlists, chances are good it will be a popular swapping book! 2. If your book is not on any relayer's wishlists this could mean one of two things, either it is a relay killer (great books, just that everyone already has a copy because it's so popular, so not a good book to swap with) or maybe we just don't know about it yet! Try to watch out for relay killers, here is a thread that lists some of them: Relay Killers. If the book you want to use isn't on anyone's wishlist, and isn't on the relay killer list, but you really liked it and want to share, give it a try! Sometimes great unknown books are introduced and lots of people put them on their wishlists for the future! 3. If you don't want to use the wishlist method, another good idea is to look your book up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or some other book selling website that has a rating system. If your book has a high rating, and isn't a relay killer, give it a go! |
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Turn Time Limit Rules: 1. Turn time is 2 full days, so 48 hours from the time the update listing the player's turn is posted. 2. If two days is a problem for you (i.e. you can't get online during the weekends, or will be on a trip, etc.) please let me know so that I can put a note by your name and allow you extra time. 3. If the full 48 hours has passed with no word from the player, the next player will go, and the missing player will be moved down 1 space. We will do this 3 times, but without the 2 day time limit each time. A Player skipped in this way will only have the time it takes for the next three people to take their turns to check in before being dropped to the bottom of the list (this is all if we have not heard from the player). It will look like this: 2 days, skip, skip, skip, bottom. If a player is skipped in this way and/or placed at the bottom, that spot will become their new permanent spot until the list is reshuffled. 4. The Box Organizer will be the time keeper and determine a skip or bottom placement. On your turn: 1. Select the number of books that you want to take out of the box. 2. Replace those with the same number of books (or more if you like, sometimes people do). 3. If you decide to skip, you have the option to ask to be placed at the bottom of the list for another try. If you do this, that will become your new permanent spot until the list is reshuffled. (reshuffling will happen after every 5th round) 4. New players will be accepted during play, they will be added to the bottom of the list. A Sample play (Thanks Sand!): When we get ready to start round 1, Shaunesay will post a list of all the books that have been donated to the box with links to their JE and each book will have the donaters name next to the book like this: Participants: 1. Fantasy221 2. SandDanz 3. Shaunesay 4. PepperVL 5. Noumena12 Books in Box: Book 1 by Author (SandDanz) Book 2 by Author (Shaunesay) Book 3 by Author (Shaunesay) Book 4 by Author (Noumena12) Book 5 by Author (PepperVL) Book 6 by Author (Noumena12) Then the 1st person on the list of players goes through the list and picks out all the books they are interested in. They then post the books they want and also post the books that they are going to replace them with off their own shelf. So, let's say Fantasy221 takes out book 2 and book 6. She'll post: Fantasy221 taks out: Book 2 by Author (Shaunesay) Book 6 by Author (Noumena12) And Replaces with: Book 7 by Author (Fantasy221) Book 8 by Author (Fantasy221) So... the new play list looks like this: Participants: 3. Shaunesay 4. PepperVL 5. Noumena12 Books in Box: Book 1 by Author (SandDanz) Book 3 by Author (Shaunesay) Book 4 by Author (Noumena12) Book 5 by Author (PepperVL) Book 7 by Author (Fantasy221) Book 8 by Author (Fantasy221) Books out of play: Book 2 by Author (Shaunesay --> Fantasy221) Book 6 by Author (Noumena12 --> Fantasy221) It's now SandDanz's turn, and Shaunesay and Nou would have to send you each the 1 book you picked from both and whoever takes out your books 7 & 8 you will have to send to later... |