Get your best smile ready and sharpen your coordination because you've just joined the juggling school of the legendary clown Piolin! The year is 1922, in São Paulo, and the Circo Alcibíades is searching for new talent. The goal is simple, but the execution is tense: you must prove you can master knives and torches to land your dream job. But watch out, because in the circus ring, the competition is fierce, and cards change hands faster than a professional juggler's movements.

Malabares is an incredibly clever trick-taking microgame that uses only 18 cards to create a dynamic experience. The brilliant twist here is the representation of juggling: some cards start on the table, simulating the objects already 'in the air'. During a trick, you play your cards following the must-follow rule, and the value of the card played determines the drafting order for the cards currently floating on the table.

Strategy revolves around timing. Depending on whether the show is taking place during the day or at night, the scoring shifts: knives score more under the sun, while torches dominate the night. You'll have to decide whether to risk taking high-scoring cards now or let your opponents hold the 'hot potato'. For the bold, there's the 'Piolin Move', a high-risk 'shoot the moon' maneuver where you try to end up with a hand full of low-scoring cards to surprise everyone and flip the game.

As the third game in the Piquinim Collection, Malabares is perfect for those seeking fast, portable games with tactical depth. It's the kind of game you can carry in your pocket and set up in seconds, yet it leaves everyone debating the best move for hours. Do you have the precision needed to keep everything in the air and secure your spot in the Circo Alcibíades?