Anno Domini: Spiel des Jahres

About this board game

Anno Domini: Spiel des Jahres is a 2–8 player historical card game that plays in about 30 minutes. Its 340 cards feature events connected with games of the year, sometimes surprising jury decisions, and subjects that true board game fans may enjoy.

Each player receives nine cards, or fewer for a shorter game. One side of every card describes a historical event, while the other gives the year—and sometimes the precise date. Players may look only at the descriptions as they build a shared timeline.

On a turn, add a card where you think it belongs chronologically. You can also challenge the existing order instead of playing a card. All cards are then revealed to check whether the timeline is correct.

• If the order is correct, the challenger takes two cards and skips a turn.
• If the order is wrong, the previous player takes three cards.
• The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

Exact knowledge is not the only path to victory. Many events are obscure or difficult to date, making bluffing just as important as historical awareness. The result is a lively social experience filled with surprises, conversation, and opportunities to learn something along the way.

This set can be played on its own or combined with other Anno Domini sets, which offers the best way to play. There is no English edition, so the German-language cards may appeal to players improving their German—or provide a reason to start learning it.