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Cover of the game Byzanz

Byzanz

AMIGO, Lautapelit.fi, Mont Tàber · Board game · 2008
7.2 Ludopedia
6.6 BoardGameGeek
3–6 · best 4, 5
45 min
Weight 1.5/5
Year 2008
Minimum age 8+
Buy
7.2 rating Ludopedia
6.6 rating BoardGameGeek
Buy
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED

Auction and bluffing fans will love Byzanz — an economic game where every card is worth gold (literally).

Highlights
  • Intense, decisive auctions
  • Smart hand management
  • Original closed economy
  • Fast and dynamic gameplay
Keep in mind
  • Can be harsh on new players
  • Best with 4+ players
  • Limited direct interaction
Rules manual not indexed yet Upload the PDF rulebook to ask questions about this game with AI.

About the game

What you do in a play session

In Byzanz, you're a merchant at the height of the Byzantine Empire, competing to profit from trading spices, cloth, and other valuable goods. The game blends strategic auctions with hand management, where your cards are both money to bid and goods to collect. Each round, players compete for card lots in auctions where the highest bid takes all — but watch out, because the money you spend goes to the open market, and the last player to win an auction might sweep it all for free! The key is knowing when to hold cards to form valuable sets (3 of a kind) and when to risk bidding. With clever closed economy and constrained bidding mechanics, every decision counts. And don't underestimate the merchants (wild cards) — three together are worth a small fortune!

Rules videos

Learn by watching before you open the box

3 videos

In English

Best player count

BGG community vote

3–6 players
3 REC
4 REC
5 REC
6 REC

Where to Buy

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Game details

Mechanics, categories, families and credits

Mechanics

Auction / Bidding Auction: Turn Order Until Pass Closed Economy Auction Constrained Bidding Hand Management Open Drafting Set Collection

Categories

Card Game Economic

Families

Cities: Istanbul (Turkey) History: Byzantium Occupation: Merchant Series: Small box (Lautapelit.fi) Series: Small box (Mont Tàber)
Publisher AMIGO, Lautapelit.fi, Mont Tàber, New Games Order, LLC, Playagame Edizioni, Renegade Game Studios
Designer Emanuele Ornella
Artist Doris Matthäus

Community

Data from BoardGameGeek

2,700owners
202wishlist
35want to play

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers before you buy

6 questions
Best player count?
Works best with 4+ — with 3 it gets a bit predictable.
Hard to learn?
Rules are simple but strategy has depth. Worth a test game.
How long does it take?
About 45 minutes — first games might take 1h to get the rhythm.
Language dependent?
Nope! Cards only have numbers/icons, no text.
Minimum age?
Says 12+, but teens with board game experience can enjoy it from age 10.
Luck or pure strategy?
70% strategy (auctions and hand management), 30% luck in card draws.

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