Sea Salt & Paper
Collect marine-themed cards, play powerful pairs and decide when to say STOP—or give everyone one LAST CHANCE to turn the round around.
Sea Salt & Paper is a compact card game by Bruno Cathala and Théo Rivière, published by Bombyx. Players build sets, trigger Duo card abilities, and choose whether to bank their round score or wager on having the best hand after everyone else takes one last turn.
This guide explains the exact difference between STOP and LAST CHANCE, all base-game card scoring, Mermaid color bonuses, victory thresholds and how the Extra Salt and Extra Pepper expansions differ.
What makes the game different?
A round does not end automatically when someone crosses seven points. That player chooses whether to score safely or risk their entire card score for an additional color bonus and the chance to suppress opponents’ points. Every late-round draw therefore becomes a timing decision.
Game at a Glance
Draw
Keep one of two deck cards or take a discard.
Play Duos
Pair cards to activate effects and improve your options.
Choose
At seven points, declare STOP or LAST CHANCE.
Win
Reach the cumulative threshold or collect four Mermaids.
How to play Sea Salt & Paper
On each turn you first add one card to your hand. Either draw two from the deck, keep one and put the other face up on either discard pile, or take the top card of either discard pile. You cannot search through a discard pile when choosing which one to take.
Next you may place completed Duo pairs in front of you to trigger their special actions. You can use multiple different pairs in the same turn. Cards played face up still contribute to your final points alongside cards remaining in your hand.
Finally, if your cards are worth seven or more points, you may declare the end of the round with STOP or LAST CHANCE. Otherwise, turn passes clockwise.
Setup in four steps
- Shuffle the 58-card base deck and place it face down.
- Reveal the top two cards to create two separate face-up discard piles.
- Keep player aids available and choose a starting player randomly.
- Start playing; nobody needs a dealt hand of cards.
The game supports two to four players. Scores carry over between rounds; the deck is reshuffled for the next round when no player has reached the target.
Draw two, keep one versus take a discard
| Choice | What you get | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Draw from deck | See two hidden cards, keep one, discard one | Better selection but uncertain contents |
| Take a discard | Claim the visible top card of either discard pile | Known value but no choice among unseen cards |
The card you discard after drawing two can go onto either pile. This lets you control which card remains openly available to opponents, an important tactical detail when a rival is collecting a particular type.
All four Duo card effects
| Matching pair | Effect when played | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Two Crabs | Search one discard pile and take one card from it | 1 point per pair |
| Two Boats | Immediately take another full turn | 1 point per pair |
| Two Fish | Draw the top deck card into your hand | 1 point per pair |
| Swimmer + Shark | Take a random card from another player’s hand | 1 point per pair |
Duos score their pairing points whether the pair stays in your hand or is played face up. However, their action happens only when the cards are played together in front of you. A player who keeps a pair hidden for scoring does not also receive its action.
Example: two Boat cards earn one point. Playing them lets you take another turn and perhaps obtain enough cards to reach the seven-point declaration threshold.
STOP: when to end the round safely
After your turn, if you have at least seven points among your hand and played cards, you may announce STOP. All players immediately reveal their cards and score their normal card points. No one receives another turn.
STOP is best when you have a solid lead or reason to believe other hands are weak. It also prevents opponents from improving their sets through another draw, although it gives up the possibility of gaining a color bonus with LAST CHANCE.
LAST CHANCE: the risky alternative
Instead of STOP, you can announce LAST CHANCE. Every opponent receives one final turn, after which all hands are compared. To win your bet, your card score must be at least as high as every opponent’s.
If your wager succeeds, you score your cards plus a color bonus equal to the number of cards in your largest color group. Every opponent gets only their own color bonus, not their ordinary card score.
If any opponent scores higher, your wager fails. You receive only your color bonus, while opponents score their normal card values. This is why LAST CHANCE can create huge swings even when the declarer appears ahead.
Example: you have 9 card points and four cards of your most common color. If no opponent finishes above 9, you receive 13 round points. If even one player finishes on 10, you receive only 4 while rivals score their card points.
How Mermaid cards score
Each Mermaid earns one point for each card in your largest color group. If you have multiple Mermaids, they must use different colors, ordered by size. The same color cannot be scored twice by two Mermaids.
Example: if your largest color is blue with five cards and your second-largest is green with three, two Mermaids are worth 5 + 3 = 8 points.
Mermaids themselves count as white cards for color purposes. Gathering all four Mermaid cards triggers an immediate victory, without waiting for the ordinary point target.
Collector cards: Shells, Octopuses, Penguins and Sailors
| Cards collected | Scoring progression |
|---|---|
| Shells | 1–6 cards score 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 |
| Octopuses | 1–5 cards score 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 |
| Penguins | 1–3 cards score 1, 3, 5 |
| Sailors | 1–2 cards score 0, 5 |
Collection sets become much more valuable as you approach their higher thresholds. A lone Sailor is worth zero by itself, for example, but adding a second makes that pair worth five. Conversely, an Octopus set may be inefficient to chase when only a few deck draws remain in the round.
Four point-multiplier cards
| Multiplier card | Points added |
|---|---|
| Lighthouse | 1 per Boat card |
| Shoal of Fish | 1 per Fish card |
| Penguin Colony | 2 per Penguin card |
| Captain | 3 per Sailor card |
Each multiplier scores cards of its indicated type but does not count as one of those cards itself. For example, the Lighthouse is not an additional Boat, so it cannot complete a Boat pair or increase its own point value.
How many points do you need to win?
| Players | End-of-game target |
|---|---|
| 2 | 40 points |
| 3 | 35 points |
| 4 | 30 points |
After each scored round, add points to players’ cumulative totals. Once at least one player reaches the appropriate target, the highest total wins, not automatically the player who first crossed the threshold. A tie is broken by whoever scored more points in the last round.
Important deck-exhaustion exception: if the deck is empty at the end of a player’s turn, the round ends immediately without scoring any points. This is not treated as an automatic STOP.
Sea Salt & Paper: Extra Salt vs Extra Pepper
| Expansion | Contents / new rules | Best reason to add |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Salt | 8 extra cards and 5 new effects: Jellyfish, Lobster, Basket of Crabs, Starfish and Seahorse | More combinations and new Duo interactions |
| Extra Pepper | 12 Event cards; one public effect modifies each round, then may become a personal bonus or penalty | Variable round rules and longer-term tactical choices |
Both are expansions requiring the base game. Extra Salt expands the card-combo vocabulary; Extra Pepper changes the conditions under which the familiar base cards are played and scored.
New players should learn the base game first, then choose Extra Salt for more card combinations or Extra Pepper for a changing round structure. Do not use expansion card effects when answering base-game rules questions.
Nine strategy principles
- Track the open discard piles. Choosing from visible cards reduces randomness and may complete a set immediately.
- Discard carefully. A card you reject may hand an opponent the final piece of a high-value collection.
- Use Boat pairs as tempo tools. An extra turn can let you collect a card and declare STOP before your rivals respond.
- Value color concentration. Even without a Mermaid, a large color group can make a winning LAST CHANCE especially attractive.
- Don’t chase every collection. Focus on one or two synergies rather than scattered single cards.
- Pay attention to opponents’ tabled Duos. Visible Boat, Crab, Fish and Shark pairs reveal which types they may already be building around.
- Make the seven-point declaration timing count. Stopping early can deny more valuable late-game draws.
- Use LAST CHANCE when the upside justifies the risk. A successful bet boosts your points and reduces everyone else’s normal scoring.
- Remember cumulative targets. If you are close to 40/35/30 total points, an unambitious but reliable STOP may secure the match.
These are editorial deductions from the published rules and do not imply firsthand playtesting.
Is Sea Salt & Paper worth buying?
It is a strong option for players who enjoy short, accessible card games with meaningful push-your-luck choices. The base game has only a few turn decisions, but the interaction between sets, discards and round-ending bets provides replay value.
It is less suitable if you dislike hidden-hand randomness or want deep positional strategy. The origami photography is distinctive, but the physical cards remain ordinary cards rather than foldable components.
Bombyx lists 2–4 players, about 30 minutes and ages 8+. The box contains 58 cards, six player aids and rules.
Sea Salt & Paper FAQ
Can Sea Salt & Paper be played solo?
No official solo mode is included in the base rules; the standard game supports two to four players.
When can I say STOP?
At the end of your turn when your hand and played cards are worth at least seven points.
What is the difference between STOP and LAST CHANCE?
STOP scores everybody immediately. LAST CHANCE gives everyone else one turn and wagers that you will remain tied for or ahead of the highest opponent score.
Do played Duo cards still score?
Yes. Face-up Duos and cards in your hand both count.
Can I use a Duo card effect without putting cards down?
No. The pair must be played face up to activate its special effect.
Does drawing two let you keep both?
No. Keep one and discard the other onto one of the two discard piles.
How many Mermaid cards win the game instantly?
Four.
What happens if I run out of deck cards?
If the deck is empty at the end of a turn, that round stops without scoring.
How many points ends a two-player match?
Forty, checked after a scored round.
Do Extra Salt and Extra Pepper work without the base game?
No. Both require Sea Salt & Paper.
Sources and editorial scope
- Bombyx official English rulebook
- Bombyx official base game and expansion overview
- Bombyx: Extra Salt contents
- Bombyx: Extra Pepper contents
Facts checked October 11, 2026. Original rule explanation and strategic editorial analysis; no firsthand playtest claimed. Refer to the official publisher rulebook for complete wording and unusual card interactions. Editorial policy and corrections.