This is a game of territorial control in 15th century Spain. Players place and move units, Grandes and Caballeros, in an attempt to extend their influence over the whole of Spain. There are nine regions plus the Castillo on the board, which the players try to control. Play proceeds with opponents bidding Power Cards. These Power Cards determine the number of Caballeros available for player use, order of play to select Action Cards, and who plays the first Power Card in the next round. The Action Cards allow players to place a certain number of Caballeros on the board and play or void a special action. There are nine rounds of play with three general scoring rounds. The player with the most points at the end of the ninth round wins. Players must use careful strategy and tactics, with proper balance of bidding, turn order, action card selection and placement of units.

Tournament Rules:
1. Order of play. In the first round, each player draws an action card at random from one player. The player with the lowest card goes first. Return the cards to the original owner before play begins. In rounds 2 through 9 the first player is the player that played last (the player with the lowest power card played) in the previous round. Play continues in a clockwise direction around the table after the first player plays a power card.
2. Power Cards. The Caballerous on the power cards represent the maximum number of Caballeros that may be moved from the provinces to the courtyard. A player may choose to move less than the maximum number from the provinces if they so desire. If there are no more Caballeros left in the provinces (this usually will not happen until the ninth round, if at all) the player may remove Caballeros from the board to make up the difference.
3. Action Cards. The Caballerous shown on the bottom of the action cards represent the maximum number of Caballerous that can be moved from the players courtyard to the gameboard. A player may choose to move less than the maximum number from the courtyard if they so desire.
4. The King,s region. The Kings region is ALWAYS taboo. No changes of ANY kind are ever allowed to the King,s region. This rule includes all instructions from all action cards (except for moving the king itself).
5. The Castillo. Caballeros can be placed in the Castillo any time a player adds or moves Caballerous on the board, no matter where the King stands.
6. Scoring. If two or more players have the same number of Caballeros in a single region during scoring, all the players recieve the points for the next lowest scoring level for that region. One El Grande score sheet must be completed during play and submitted with each game for the game to count towards tournament play. One player in each game may be randomly chosen to keep score. Score sheets will be provided.

Action Cards:
1.One Caballero. These are the intrigue cards. These set of cards allow players to move their own or their
opponents pieces that are already on the board. Movement into the Castillo is always allowed.
2. Two Caballeros. There is one special scoring card and the Veto card in this stack. The Veto card can be use to prevent all or part of an opponents attempt to complete a special action. The rest of the cards in this stack allow different methods of removal of Caballeros from the board or the courtyard to the provinces.
3. Three Caballeros. All the action cards in this stack allow special scoring.
4. Four Caballeros. These cards involve special movement of the mobile scoreboards, the King and the Grandes on the board. Also there is an Exile card, a special scoring card and a reactivation of an used power card.
5. Five Caballeros. This card allows players to move the King to another region.