Identity

About this board game

Identity is a 15-minute trick-taking game for 3–5 players, where matching your secretly declared trick total is the key to victory.

At the start, each player secretly declares how many tricks they aim to win by using two cards from their hand. Even negative numbers are valid, creating an unusual bidding system that challenges players to pursue an outcome that may be far from a standard trick-taking goal.

Then comes a battle of bold plays, bluffing, and unpredictable results. Identity uses a custom Must Not Follow rule: during each trick, players must play a face-up card that differs in both number and suit from cards already on the table, if they can.

• Secretly declare a target using two cards from your hand.
• Play face-up cards that differ in both number and suit whenever possible.
• Play a card face-down when you cannot make a legal face-up play.
• Earn Plus Tricks for the highest number played or Minus Tricks for face-down cards.

These unusual rules make every play meaningful. A face-up card may help you claim a Plus Trick, while a face-down card can contribute to a Minus Trick, giving players different ways to shape their final result.

Your final score depends on how closely your actual result matches the victory count you declared at the beginning. The closer the match, the more points you score, so Identity rewards careful planning, daring declarations, and the ability to adapt when the cards take an unexpected turn.