Your guide to rules, tactics & confusing moves

Ever played The Showdown and found yourself mid-game saying, "Wait… can we even do that?"

You're not alone… and that’s why we’re here!

We’ve been playtesting, watching real players make epic moves (and a few illegal ones), and gathering the most common doubts around the gameplay. So here’s a quick clarification blog to keep things crystal clear and your next game drama-free (well, rule-wise at least)

Starting the game:

What exactly is happening in the game?

Each investor starts with an initial cash pool to buy and sell shares of 6 companies on the web app on their device.
Investors use action cards to strategically move the hourglass, triggering changes in the market. When the hourglass lands on the market tiles on the board, the broker enters the impact on the device, updating the stock values in real time.
Plan your trades, respond to shifts, and outsmart others to build the highest net worth by the end of the game

What do the game components actually do?

⏳ Hourglass: It shows what the market is saying right now. Wherever it lands… that’s the current market condition
P.S. The sand inside doesn’t matter, it’s just for drama. The timer is pure aesthetic. The real action is where it lands

🔎 Magnifying Glass (Market Spy Token): Use this to secretly peek into another player’s portfolio

🪙 Brass Coin (Shield Seal Token): Your defense badge! Use it to cancel or block any impact from other players… whether it's stopping your stock from crashing or blocking someone else’s from soaring, it can be your power move!

🎲 Server Down Die: Normally sits out of the game. But when you land in the Server Down zone, it comes into play. There are two Server Down zones: The first one is avoidable. The second one is mandatory (everyone’s gotta face it)
This die decides the % change in stock value when the hourglass lands on a company tile in that zone. So yeah, things get a little glitchy here!

Action cards related:

What’s the Share Shake card? Can I only choose -2 or +6 steps?

Nope, it’s not that limited! The Share Shake card is your joker/wild card. When you play it, you get to choose any number of steps between -2 to +6, that's -2, -1, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, or +6.
Total power move! Use it to surprise others, shake up the market, or save your strategy at just the right time

Can I skip my turn (basically not play any action card when it’s my move)?

Nope, nice try! In The Showdown, you must play one action card on your turn to move the hourglass. There are only two times you get a free pass:

- You’re in the Opening Bell zone and all your action cards move backward

- You're stuck in the Server Down zone and all your cards move backward

If not, no excuses… it’s your turn, make your move!

Do the action cards depend on the avatar I choose at the start?

Not at all! The avatar you pick is just for fun, a way to show off your investor vibe or style. It has no impact on which action cards you get. Think of it as choosing your outfit for the trading floor (It sets the mood, not the moves)

Power token related:

Can I use a power token on myself?

Nope! Power tokens are for others, not for fixing your own blunders. You can’t use them to block, undo, or soften the impact of your own move. In short, if you dig your own hole, you’ve got to climb out without superpowers

Are power tokens re-distributed after every Action Phase by doing the Showdown?

Nope! The power tokens are distributed only once… right after the first Action Phase, based on the Showdown rankings and net worth positions. After that, they’re not re-distributed. Instead, they become transferable powers… if someone uses a power token on you, you get to keep it and use it on someone else later

Breaking News / Market Mayhem related:

Can I use the Shield Seal power token to block a Breaking News or Market Mayhem card?

Nope! These are your fate cards… once triggered, they cannot be blocked or reversed. Once they hit, everyone feels the impact, no take-backs!

What if the broker entered the wrong Market Mayhem list?

Oops, it happens! If the wrong list was used, here's what to do:

- Ask investors to enter any change (just for now) on their app when prompted

- The broker can check the History tab to see the average % change that was input

- Then, use that info. to make a corrective % entry manually and fix the stock values accordingly (You can refer to the "What if the broker enters the wrong data in the web-app?" question for help with accurate reverse % corrections)

Web-app related:

Abbreviations used in the Web-App

• CP = Current Price

• In the Portfolio tab, this shows the live market price of the stock

• In the History tab, it reflects the price at which the stock was bought during that particular transaction

• P&L = Profit & Loss

• Shows your unrealised gains or losses, i.e., how much you’d earn or lose if you sold the stock right now

• Qty = Quantity

• The number of shares you currently hold in that particular stock

• Inv = Investment

• The total amount you invested in that stock

• Formula: Qty × Cost Price (the price at which you originally bought the stock)
  
  

What if the broker enters the wrong data in the web-app?

Mistakes happen! If the broker or any investor playing notices an error in the web app entry, the broker can fix it by making a reverse entry. For example, if the broker accidentally entered +5% for Velocity Motors instead of -5%, they can cancel the effect by entering +5% (see below) and -5% (actual). One to undo the wrong move, and one to apply the correct one

We love seeing how each group plays The Showdown a little differently. If your group has a house rule that makes things more fun or smoother… tell us! We’re always tweaking things to make this game sharper!

Still confused? Drop us a message on Instagram / X (Twitter) or email (theshowdown.jj@gmail.com) we’ll clarify and might even add your question to this post.

That’s all for now. Go settle those Showdowns like pros… and may the smartest trader win!