By: Space Cowboys Players: 2 Ages: 10+ Time: 30 mins
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To be a successful trader in the city of Jaipur, one must know how to play the market and when to sell their goods in order to maximise their profits.
Players take the role of one of the top two most powerful traders in the city, both of whom are vying for two seals of excellence, proving they are the best merchant and granting them an audience with the maharaja’s personal trader.
In this head-to-head card game, players must try and sell their wares strategically in order to maximise their profits and score enough points to grant them a seal of excellence.
What Is Jaipur? A Fast Paced Card Game
Jaipur is a card game for two players that was created by Sebastien Pauchon and originally released in 2009. The excitement and engagement players experience from their first game is often highlighted, making it easy to learn and share as a group. Overall the Jaipur game received favourable reviews and is still recommended today for both gaming vets and those new to the hobby. It has been widely praised for offering both simplistic yet sufficiently deep gameplay.
Jaipur revolves around players choosing on their turn whether to acquire new goods from the market, or selling the goods they currently own. Selling goods earns tokens and selling a certain amount of goods will gain the player bonus tokens. These in turn will generate rupees at the end of the game and whoever has earned the most rupees wins the round, and a seal of excellence. The first player to win two seals wins the game, showcasing its unique blending strategy of strategic thinking and chance.
Jaipur Game Set-Up
Jaipur is fairly quick and easy to set up. After the deck of cards is shuffled, each player starts the game with five cards in their hand. These cards represent a variety of goods, from low-value spices and mint, to valuable gold and rubies. There are a handful of cards that represent camels, and if any players find these in their hand they place them face up in front of them. These camels represent the trader’s herd, which they can add to throughout the game if more camel cards appear. Players can also choose to take all the camels from the marketplace during their turn, which plays a crucial role in their trading strategy.
Three camels from the deck are placed in the middle of the gaming area which serves as the marketplace, and the top two cards from the deck are placed along with them. The tokens that represent the goods are placed from least to most valuable, the bonus tokens are stacked into separate piles, and the seals of excellence are placed on the gaming area accessible to both players.
How To Play Jaipur Game
On each players turn, they can either take cards, or sell cards.
When taking cards a player may take one or several cards from what’s available in the marketplace. If they choose to take just one card they then replace it with the top card from the draw pile. If however, a player takes several goods, instead of replacing them with cards from the deck, they must instead be replaced by cards in that players possession. This can be cards in the player’s hand, the camels in their herd, or a combination of both. Rather than taking any goods from the marketplace, the player also has option of taking the camels to add to their existing collection. If they do, the player must take every camel currently in the marketplace and replace them with cards from their draw pile.
If a player decides to sell cards, they choose one type of good in their hand and discard as many as they like. They must discard the same type of good rather than a combination but once done, they receive a token for every good they discard in this way. Any tokens earned stay goods side up until the end of the game when scores are tallied. If a player sells three, four, or five of the same goods, they will earn a bonus token, the value of which will be revealed as the end of the game along with the others.
Gameplay continues in this way with players either taking cards from the marketplace or selling goods until either all the cards from the draw pile are gone, or three goods token types are expended. At this point, players calculate their scores by turning over any tokens they’ve collected and adding up the number of rupees they’ve earned from their sales. In addition, whoever has amassed the most camels will receive a camel token and gain an additional five rupees.
Regardless of who wins the first round, Jaipur is best out of three and someone must gain two seals of excellence to win the game. That means there will always be at least two rounds, so whoever loses the first will always have another chance to secure victory
What makes Jaipur so appealing, is despite the rules being kept to a minimum and the gameplay being very simple and straightforward, there is still a degree of strategy to the game that will keep people coming back for more. Powerful traders seeking to outmaneuver their rivals must understand when to sell and when to trade, which can make all the difference. There is a random element to the game with what goods will be drawn from the deck and how many rupees players will earn from their sale, but keeping a close eye on how the cards are dealt and trying to keep track of what’s left to come is important. It’s also always worth investing in camels as earning those extra five rupees at the end of the game is sometimes just enough to tip the scales.
Although the strategic elements of the game are enough to entice experienced players, the short play time and simple rules will appeal to new or casual gamers. It takes very little time to set up, is quick and frantic, not overly cerebral, and it’s easy to play through a couple of games in an hour.
The only mildly disappointing aspect of the game in a world that is chock full of board games is the lack of expansions. Sometimes too much of something is a bad thing and a game can have too many expansions, but it would be nice to have the option of playing with a couple of extra players, or a new mechanic being added to spice up gameplay now and then. That being said, purely two-player games are not very common, and having a game that offers a more intimate experience with just a couple of players is refreshing and a change from the norm.
Board Game Connection
Jaipur game is a fast-paced card game that has forged a strong bond with the board game community. As a board game, Jaipur stands out for its unique blend of strategy and luck, making it a great game for dedicated players who enjoy a mix of tactical decision-making and chance. The primary goal is to become the most powerful trader by buying, exchanging, and selling cards at optimal prices, a concept that resonates deeply with board game enthusiasts.
One of the standout features of Jaipur game is its exclusive metallic collectible coin, included in the first print run. This coin is used to determine the first player, adding an extra layer of excitement and a touch of exclusivity to the game. As the game progresses, players must strategically manage their camels, which are crucial for trading and can provide a valuable edge at the end of the round.
The board game community has warmly embraced Jaipur, praising its ease of learning and engaging gameplay. Its compact size and lightweight design make it an ideal choice for players who enjoy playing board games on-the-go, as it can easily be stored and packed in a suitcase.
In addition to its physical version, Jaipur game is also available as a digital board game, allowing players to play Jaipur online against others. This digital version features beautiful new artwork and retains the same captivating gameplay as the physical edition.
Also Read: Gather Round for Amazing Fun with the Best Vintage Board Games
Overall, Jaipur is a great game that has made a significant connection with the board game community. Its unique blend of strategy and luck, combined with its exclusive metallic collectible coin and compact design, make it a must-play for fans of board games.
Summary: How the Game Progresses
Light, compact, and portable
A fun game that is great for new and experienced players alike
Good-looking artwork
A good blend of simple rules and strategic elements
Short play time means multiple playthroughs possible in one go
Who Should Buy Jaipur Game?
We think you should buy this game if:
You’re a fan of card games: A simple but strategic card game, if you like card over (or just as much as) board games this is one for you. The excitement and engagement players experience from their first game make it a must-try for any card game enthusiast.
You don’t like complicated games: Jaipur game will literally take about five minutes to learn and only offers a couple of options each turn so it won’t bog you down with complex rules
You don’t like long games: Each game of Jaipur will take about 20-30 minutes to play though so if you like playing games but don’t want to spend all day on the same one, this is a great option.
You don’t have many people to play with: As Jaipur only involves two players, it’s a great game for those who don’t have many friends into board games, or can’t get many together at the same time.
You might not like this game if:
You like strategic games: Although Jaipur game does involve a degree of strategy, it isn’t as meaty as a lot of games out there so for those wanting something very cerebral, this won’t be the one.
You want a game for lots of players: With Jaipur being purely a two-player game, it’s not one for those who want a sociable experience or regularly have plenty of friends over for game nights.
Final Verdict
Jaipur game is a fun card game that offers plenty to many different kinds of players. It has a wide appeal, is compact, has anything but a steep learning curve, is quick and simple to play, and comes with great artwork. The strategic elements are just enough to keep experienced players interested, but not too full-on to put off newbies either. A great game for anyone and everyone, and worth adding to anyone’s collection.
Jaipur Game FAQ
1. What is the objective of the Jaipur card game?
The objective of Jaipur game is for two players to become the maharaja’s personal trader by earning two seals of excellence. Players achieve this by strategically trading and selling goods to earn the most rupees over several rounds.
2. How is the game Jaipur set up?
To set up Jaipur game, shuffle the deck of cards and deal five cards to each player, representing various goods. Place three camels and two cards from the deck in the marketplace. Organize the goods tokens by value, stack bonus tokens separately, and place the seals of excellence within reach of both players.
3. What are the main actions players can take during their turn in Jaipur?
During their turn, players can either take cards from the marketplace or sell cards from their hand. Taking cards involves choosing one or more goods, while selling cards involves discarding a single type of good to earn tokens.
4. How does scoring work in Jaipur?
Scoring in Jaipur involves tallying the rupees earned from selling goods tokens and any bonus tokens gained for selling multiple goods. The player with the most camels also receives a camel token worth additional rupees. The first player to win two seals of excellence wins the game.
5. Is Jaipur suitable for players who enjoy strategic games?
While Jaipur includes strategic elements, it is not as complex as many other strategy games. It offers a balance of simplicity and strategy, making it appealing for both new and experienced players, but may not satisfy those seeking a deeply strategic experience.