Café International: Das Kartenspiel

About this board game

Café International: Das Kartenspiel is a card game for 2–5 players that plays in about 45 minutes. It is the card game version of the 1989 Spiel des Jahres board game Café International, challenging players to place guest cards in a growing café arrangement.

To begin, five table cards are laid out to form the Café. Players then place between one and three guest cards from their hand into the Café, scoring points for each placement. The arrangement of tables and guests creates opportunities to score as the café develops.

A special bonus is available when a table seats guests of only one nationality. This gives players another scoring consideration beyond simply finding a space for each guest card. Timing and placement matter as tables gradually fill.

• Play with 2–5 players.
• Play time is approximately 45 minutes.
• Use five table cards to create the Café.
• Place 1–3 guest cards from your hand.
• Score for placements and receive bonuses for a single nationality at a table.

When a table is full, all guests at that table and the table itself are removed from play. A new table is then drawn from the table pile and placed in its position, keeping the Café changing throughout the game.

Multiple scoring opportunities can arise when a guest card is placed between tables that already contain several guests. This creates connected placement possibilities and makes the evolving layout central to the experience. Released in 2001, Café International: Das Kartenspiel condenses the setting of the original game into a focused card-game format.