# The Copper Trickster ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2024 - **BGG Rating**: 7.2 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 5) - **Duration**: 20-50 min - **Weight**: 2.00 / 5 - **Designers**: Alex Pena - **Artists**: Alex Pena - **Publishers**: (Self-Published), Samba Estudios - **Categories**: Bluffing, Card Game, Deduction - **Mechanics**: Deduction, Roles with Asymmetric Information, Trick-taking ## Verdict Enjoy a card game with bluffing and deduction that's quick and has a cool theme? "The Copper Trickster" is the one!Fun and original themeEasy-to-learn rulesFast-paced and dynamic gamesGood player interactionAsymmetric info can be confusingLuck can heavily influenceReplayability might be limitedRECOMMENDED ## Description Hey board game enthusiasts! Ready for a trip back to ancient Mesopotamia? In "The Copper Trickster" (previously known as "CharLatão"), we dive into the world of the feared merchant Ea-Nasir, famous for selling shoddy copper and having a short temper. The goal here is not to fall for his tricks, unless you're playing as Ea-Nasir yourself, of course! This is a competitive trick-taking card game where each player has partial knowledge of the quality of the copper being traded. The objective is to rack up the most points each round, either by acquiring good copper or offloading the bad, depending on what you know (or think you know!). You'll play multiple trick-taking rounds, deciding whether to win or lose a round to maximize your gains or minimize your losses. Each player gets a turn as Ea-Nasir, and the game concludes once everyone has assumed that role. The player with the highest score at the end claims the glory (and maybe some actual copper). With straightforward rules and quick gameplay, "The Copper Trickster" is perfect for those who enjoy a card game with a dash of bluffing and deduction. The asymmetric information among players adds an extra layer of strategy and fun, ensuring each game presents a different challenge. It's a great choice for anyone looking for something light yet engaging, with interesting decisions to make. ## How to Play Objective of the Game In The Copper Trickster, players take on the roles of characters involved in the ancient Mesopotamian copper trade, inspired by the infamous merchant Ea-Nasir. Your goal is to score the most points each round by strategically acquiring good and great quality copper while avoiding bad quality copper. The game ends when every player has had the chance to play as Ea-Nasir once, and the player with the most points wins. Preparation (Setup) Choose the First Ea-Nasir Randomly select a player to be the first Ea-Nasir. This player receives the Ea-Nasir character card. Every player will get a chance to play as Ea-Nasir during the game. Distribute the Other Characters Distribute the remaining character cards clockwise from the first Ea-Nasir: 3 players: Ea-Nasir, Assyrian Buyer (2/3 players), Supplier 4 players: Ea-Nasir, Assyrian Buyer (4/5 players), Supplier, Babylonian Buyer 5 players: Ea-Nasir, Assyrian Buyer (4/5 players), Supplier, Babylonian Buyer, Nanni’s Messenger Prepare the Copper Deck For 4 or 5 players, use the entire deck. For 3 players, remove all 12 cards of one suit and store them in the game box, along with the corresponding Suit Card. Place the Quality Indicator Card Place the Quality Indicator card in the center of the table, with the side corresponding to the number of players facing up. Prepare Score Tracking The game does not include a score tracker. Use coins, tokens, pen and paper, or a smartphone to keep track of points. Game Flow Deal the Copper Cards Shuffle the Copper cards and deal them equally: 3 players: 16 cards each (2 cards remain undealt) 4 players: 15 cards each 5 players: 12 cards each Great Quality Copper Suit Definition The Supplier secretly chooses a suit to be the great quality copper and places the corresponding Suit Card face-down next to the Quality Indicator card. Quality Assignment of the Other Suits The Supplier shuffles the remaining Suit Cards and assigns them face-down to the other quality icons on the Quality Indicator card. Quality Uncovering Each player secretly looks at their character’s assigned Suit Cards and places them back face-down. Card Passing Each player discards one card secretly and passes another card to the player on their left. Ea-Nasir cannot pass cards of the bad quality copper suit. In a 5-player game, Nanni’s Messenger only discards a card and does not pass or receive cards. Round Flow The Assyrian Buyer is the first leader. Players take turns playing cards, following the follow suit rule. The player who plays the highest card of the leading suit wins the trick. The game proceeds until all cards are played, with a Revelation phase occurring at a specific trick count depending on the number of players. Actions and How to Play Playing Cards The leader plays any card, and other players must follow suit if possible. If a player cannot follow suit, they may play any card. Winning Tricks The player who plays the highest card of the leading suit wins the trick and collects the played cards. Revelation Phase At a specific trick count, all Suit Cards are revealed, and players gain full knowledge of the copper quality. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when every player has been Ea-Nasir once. Scoring is based on the character’s objectives: Assyrian and Babylonian Buyers: Score points for great quality copper and their preferred good quality copper. Ea-Nasir: Penalized for collecting great quality copper and bad quality copper. Supplier: Scores points for great quality copper but loses points for bad quality copper. Nanni’s Messenger: Scores based on the number of tricks won before and after the Revelation phase. Tips for Winning Plan when to win tricks based on your character’s scoring objectives. Use the Revelation phase to adjust your strategy once all copper qualities are revealed. Avoid collecting bad quality copper unless it benefits your character’s scoring. Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção. ## FAQ ### What is the average playtime for "The Copper Trickster"? Games typically last between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the number of players and how familiar everyone is with the rules. ### How many players can participate? The game is designed for 2 to 5 players. ### Is the game very complicated to learn? No, the rules are quite straightforward, and the game is considered to have light to moderate complexity (weight 2/5 on BGG), making it accessible to most players. ### What is the main objective of the game? The goal is to accumulate the most points over the rounds by acquiring good quality copper and avoiding the bad, while playing trick-taking rounds and dealing with hidden information. ### Does the game involve a lot of luck or is it more strategy? There's a balance between luck (in the cards you receive) and strategy (how you play your cards, decide to bluff, or deduce others' intentions). ### Is the Mesopotamian theme well represented in the game? Yes, the game uses the historical context of Ea-Nasir and copper trading in ancient Mesopotamia to give a unique flavor to the gameplay experience.