Tulipmania 1637

About this board game

Tulipmania 1637 is a board game for 3–5 players that takes about 60 minutes, placing you among Dutch investors during the famous tulip market bubble of December 1636 and January 1637.

Tulips had become highly desirable in Europe, and rare virus-affected flowers were especially valuable because of their striking colour patterns. Yet the bubble was driven by the market for common tulips, as buyers paid increasingly high prices based on the hope of reselling for a profit.

In the game, you are one of the wily investors attempting to turn this unstable market to your advantage. You have a network of buyers and colleagues, but they are also pursuing wealth and looking for opportunities to profit.

• Make smart investments in the tulip market.
• Artificially raise prices to increase the value of your holdings.
• Use your network to fleece buyers at the most profitable moment.
• Sell off before the market turns sour and escape with the most money.

The setting reflects the extraordinary conditions of the Dutch tulip trade. With the bubonic plague killing one out of every seven people per year, many ordinary people saw little reason not to risk their money for the chance of a substantial return. Prices rose rapidly, but the boom could not last forever.

Success in Tulipmania 1637 depends on recognizing when opportunity is becoming danger. Investors who sell just as the market begins to collapse are best positioned to profit, while those who wait too long may be left behind.

Online play is available through JKLM Online in both real-time and turn-based formats.