How to Play Power Grid: Oracle & Industrial Espionage

Game Objective

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Preparation (Setup)

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Game Flow

The Industrial Espionage card enters play at the beginning of the second round, after the first bureaucracy phase. The last player in player order receives the card at no cost, becoming the spy. From that moment on, the card remains in play and its owner changes according to specific rules.

Actions and How to Play

Industrial Espionage

The Industrial Espionage card is not shuffled into the draw pile; it is placed face up next to the power plant market. The player who possesses the card is the spy.

• Initial Receipt: At the beginning of the second round, after the first bureaucracy phase, the last player in player order receives the Industrial Espionage card for free.
• Spy's Ability: The spy can look at the top card of the draw pile at any time. This gives them the advantage of knowing one more power plant, information that can be used during the bidding phase.
• Information Restriction: The spy cannot reveal any information about the spied card to other players (neither type, nor consumption, nor output). The other players can only try to infer which factory might enter the market next based on the spy's bids.
• Card Transfer: As soon as the spy buys a power plant, they must hand the Industrial Espionage card to the player directly in front of them in player order. If the current spy is the first player, they hand the card to the last player. The new spy can immediately spy on the top card of the draw pile.
• Transfer Example: If the spy is in fourth place in player order and buys a power plant, they hand the Industrial Espionage to the third player.

End of Game and Scoring

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Tips for Winning

• As the spy, use the information from the top card of the draw pile to plan your bids more strategically, knowing which power plant might enter the market soon.
• Observe the spy's bids to try and infer which power plant they might have spied on, even if they cannot reveal the information directly.