New to the game? Follow this to get started in minutes. The full rules are below for when questions come up mid-game.

Setup

• Each player places all 4 pegs in their colored start section (numbered 0–3; position 0 is the exit).

Dealing

• Pick a starting dealer. Over 3 deals, the dealer must deal exactly two 4-card hands and one 5-card hand — in any order they choose.
• After each deal, secretly swap one card face-down with your teammate.
• After 3 deals, the next player clockwise becomes dealer and shuffles.

Playing

• The player left of the dealer goes first; play moves clockwise.
• On your turn, play one card — move a peg its face value or use its special ability.
• You need an Ace or King to move a peg out of your start section.
• You must play if you can. If you can't, discard your whole hand face-up.
• Land on another player's peg and they go back to their start.

Winning

• Get all your team's pegs into your finish section. Both teammates must fully finish to win.

Apologies is best played with 4 players and these rules are written with teams in mind. There are variants below for 2 or 3 players, but if you don’t like how it plays with fewer people, change it. House rules exist for a reason.

You play cards to move your pegs in various ways with the goal of getting all yours and your teammate’s pegs into the finishing spaces.

• Split into two teams. Sit in a square — teammates sit diagonally across from each other (players 1 & 3 vs 2 & 4).
• Each player places their pegs in their starting section. Each start section is numbered 0–3, where 0 is the exit point — these numbers continue onto the adjacent main board path.
• Choose the starting dealer based on whoever last said "sorry" (or whatever you feel like /shrug).

Deal (3 hands per dealer)

Each round begins with the deal. Over three hands, the dealer must deal exactly two 4‑card hands and one 5‑card hand — the dealer chooses which order to deal them.

Card exchange (teammates)

After dealing, teammates exchange one card face down.

Turn order

The player to the dealer’s left begins. Play proceeds clockwise; on your turn, play exactly one card if possible.

Face value vs special ability

Cards may be played for face value or their special ability. You are never required to use the special ability.

No legal play

If you have no legal play, discard your hand face up. When discarding a full hand, you may move one peg forward one space.

Next hand / next dealer

When all cards are played or discarded, the next dealer collects them. After three hands, the next dealer shuffles and becomes the dealer.

Finished players

When a player finishes all their pegs, they discard remaining cards and play their teammate’s pegs in future rounds.

Rules should be prioritized in sequence. If there is a conflict, follow the higher‑order rule first—or make house rules. It’s just a game.

1. 1
   Once in your finish, your piece cannot leave.
2. 2
   You cannot enter another player’s colored zones (their start or finish sections). This applies to all movement including Jack swaps.
3. 3
   You cannot move past pieces in your finish.
4. 4
   Simply moving past another player’s piece does nothing unless you are using a King.
5. 5
   If you have a legal move you must play it (even if you’d rather not). If you have no legal move, discard your hand face up and fanned out so all players can see which cards are gone.
6. 6
   If you discard a full hand you may move 1 piece forward 1 place (Start 3 → Start 2, for example).
7. 7
   Once all your pieces are in your finish, discard any remaining cards in your hand.
8. 8
   If you land on another player’s piece, that piece is sent back to their start.
9. 9
   Your pieces cannot interact with each other — you cannot land on or swap with your own pieces. Any move that would require your pieces to interact is not a legal play.
10. 10
    You can land on your teammate’s pieces. If you do, they are sent back to their start.
11. 11
    Start positions fill from the back and clear from the front — when a piece is sent back it must always return to the highest available position, and you must always exit from the lowest.
12. 12
    Once all your pieces are in your finish you begin playing your teammate’s pieces on your turns.
13. 13
    When both teammates’ pieces are all in their finish sections, you win.

All cards can be played as face value instead of their special abilities below (Ace = 1, Jack = 11, King = 13). The symbols on the board are reminders so you don’t need to ask during the game and give away your hand.

2 Players

• Remove one board.
• Deal becomes two hands of 7 and two hands of 6.

3 Players

• Ignore one section of play. You can use player 4’s pegs to mark the area off.
• Place a peg on the 12 at the start of the board and 11 at the midway point.
• No more teams: 1v1v1.
• Deal becomes two hands of 6 and one hand of 5, with one card leftover at the end.

6 Players

• If you have a second game, place it in the middle. Movement gets a bit weird:
• The midpoint 11 on the middle board goes to the 12 on the next board.
• The 11 on the end board goes to the 12 at the midpoint of the middle board.
• Do 3 teams of 2.
• Use 2 decks. Deal two hands of 6 and one hand of 5 with two cards leftover at the end.
• It actually works okay once everyone understands the odd movement around the middle.

Apologies Versus

• This is an every player for themselves variant and it's great with any number of players.
• Rules are the same as the standard game except there's no teams and no trading cards.
• Very simple but actually makes for a very fun variant.

Special thanks to Taylor for introducing me to the original game (Dashka), Rylie for the new name to go with the revised rules and Jonothan for the wood/resin board with what turned out to be a great layout.