Spice Merchant

About this board game

Spice Merchant is a 3–4-player card game that plays in about 15 minutes, challenging players to build demand for spices while secretly investing in the goods they hope will score.

Each player begins with a hand of seven cards representing six types of spice. At the start of each round, players secretly set aside one or two cards, depending on the round. These hidden investments remain concealed until the round ends, creating a connection between private planning and the markets everyone can see.

On a turn, a player chooses one of two actions. They may place one card face up in front of themselves as an open stock of a particular good, or add one to four cards of the same spice to a market. Once a market contains a spice type, only that type can be added, each market can hold no more than four cards, and a spice may be played into at most two markets. After acting, the player refills their hand to seven cards.

• Six central markets create shared demand.
• Cards function as both goods and visible stocks.
• Secretly stashed cards are scored at the end of each round.
• The round ends when all markets contain cards or two markets are full.

When the round ends, players reveal their hidden stock. Each secret card scores from 1 to 10 points when a market is devoted to that spice, with the value determined by the spice type and the number of cards in the market. An identical spice card can score only when two markets carry that spice.

After scoring, the markets are cleared and a new round begins. Following four rounds, the player with the most points wins. With its compact rules and cards serving multiple roles, Spice Merchant offers a brisk contest of timing, visibility, and concealed investments.