Medici

About this board game

Medici is an auction and trading game for 2–6 players that recreates the bustling commerce of 15th-century Italy in about 60 minutes. Players take the roles of wealthy merchants competing to fill their ships with valuable goods.

Each game begins with a lively auction phase. Goods are represented by cards, and players bid against one another for auction lots while judging which combinations may deliver the greatest return. Every decision requires careful calculation: spend too much on one opportunity, and fewer resources may remain for the next.

Once the auction is complete, players enter the scoring phase and total the value of the goods aboard their ships. Scarcity and market demand determine the value of each good, rewarding merchants who make shrewd choices and assemble profitable collections.

• Auction: Compete for goods through strategic bidding.
• Set collection: Build valuable groups of goods for your ship.
• Commodity speculation: Judge scarcity, demand, risks, and potential rewards.
• Social interaction: Read your opponents and try to manipulate the market.

What makes Medici stand out is its blend of economic strategy and direct competition. It is not simply a matter of collecting cards and adding points; players must outwit their opponents, anticipate demand, and make clever business decisions throughout the game.

Elegant artwork and beautifully crafted components help create a colorful Renaissance atmosphere, while the accessible rules and strategic depth welcome both newcomers and experienced gamers. Whether you enjoy historical settings, tense bidding, or competitive economic play, Medici offers a lively merchant challenge from beginning to end.