Hack Trick

About this board game

Hack Trick is a deduction and combination game for 2–4 players that plays in about 25 minutes. Players generate numbers, compete for control of a keypad, and work toward a valid three-digit password.

A password is valid when it uses three identical digits, such as 222 or 555, or when its three digits add up to 15, such as 852, 159, or 357. Each card played adds a number to the growing sequence and generates a new number from the sum of the last two numbers.

That generated number is marked on the keypad. The keypad is a magic square, meaning every row, column, and diagonal totals 15. The central challenge is to line up three markers or place three markers on the same key while managing the information and opportunities revealed during play.

• Ask for the sum of an opponent’s hand before choosing your next action.
• Play a card to add to the sequence, mark a generated number, and potentially capture opposing markers.
• Draw instead of playing, or use markers for tactical effects, including forcing an opponent to play or protecting yourself from being forced.

Markers can be used in five different ways, but running out of them means losing, so every decision carries weight. You must decide when to gather information, when to use doubles, and when to begin a forced series.

With its deceptively simple rules and many possible combinations, Hack Trick rewards players who balance building a strong hand with advancing the final goal on the board. Attack and defense, deduction and timing all matter as the rival hackers fight to break through first.