by byronczimmer
Alright, so I now understand the confusion.When I read rules, things in italics and in sidebars are not 'important' rules. 'Important' rules are in the main body of the text.
The section 'Placing on the Best-Seller List' reads as follows:
The Blend is then placed on the Best-Seller List according to the Roast Ranking that is shown on the board. If the Blend is exactly the same as a Blend already created, the old Blend is considered inferior and moved down the List. If two or more exact Blends are created simultaneously, the Blends are placed according to team member turn order.
And at the top of the 'hand ranking': Blend ranks from strongest to weakest. Specific colors are for example only.
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Literally no-one saw the 'High/Low' on the left. No-one. Everyone assumed that all beans had equal weight because they were just colors.
Only if you get over to the italicized text do you see:
The Roast Rank scale on the game board lists the possible rankings of a five-bean Blend. Blends are ranked and placed onto the Best-Seller List based on the ranking of the combination first, then color of the blend.
(bolded emphasis mine)
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Major rules should not be in side bars, ever. Other locations in the rules have italicized text be examples or clarifications of the main rules, and the eye skips right over them to follow the main text.
All plays so far have been incorrect because this wasn't clear.
Sigh.