The Bottle Imp
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 30 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 1.9 / 5
- Year
- 1995
About the game
The Bottle Imp is a clever trick-taking card game based on Robert Louis Stevenson's short story of the same name. Numbered cards in three colors are dealt out, and instead of a fixed trump suit, any card lower than the current 'price of the bottle' counts as trump: with the closest card below that price winning both the trick and the cursed bottle. As players are forced to take on the bottle at an ever-decreasing price, they must carefully manage when to hold it and when to pass it along, since whoever is stuck with it at the end of a hand scores negative points. It's a tight, clever twist on trick-taking that trick-taking fans have long admired.
Hobbli's Notes
A genuinely inventive trick-taking design: the descending 'bottle price' mechanic creates constant tension about who wants to win a trick and who doesn't. A must-try for anyone who enjoys card game mechanisms with a clever twist.
What we like
- Unique descending-trump mechanic sets it apart from standard trick-taking games.
- Quick 30-minute playtime with real tactical depth.
- Rewards careful hand management and risk assessment.
- Well-regarded as a classic among trick-taking connoisseurs.
Keep in mind
- The inverted trump concept can be confusing for newcomers at first.
- Thin theme beyond the literary inspiration.
- Best suited to players who already enjoy trick-taking games.
Who it's for
Trick-taking enthusiasts and adult card-game groups, 3 to 4 players, who enjoy clever, tense mechanisms.
