The second edition of the established card game - Jaipur - released by Space Cowboys in 2021 is billed as a two-player game and has won plaudits and awards in that category. I certainly bought it on that basis, but after several plays I felt that facing only one opponent was a bit limiting in terms of tactics and jeopardy. Would increasing the number of players beyond the intended two raise the bar in this regard? I played three - and four - person rounds with friends and family members to find out (spoiler alert: the answer is ‘yes’).
How does Jaipur work?
Jaipur uses a straightforward version of the set collection and trade-in mechanic, which is quick to learn but encourages a range of approaches. There are six types of ‘goods’ to choose from, worth more or less depending on their scarcity. As you collect cards into your hand by drawing from the face-up ‘market’ on the table, you can choose when to sell which type of goods for ‘rupees’ (points tokens). Early sales will make a higher profit. If you can sell three or more copies of a goods type at once, you get a bonus worth more rupees, but you’ll probably be selling after other players who’ve gone early. There are also camel cards to collect into your ‘herd’: whoever has the most camels at the end of the round gets a modest bonus. When three of the six points tokens piles run out, or the market deck of replacement cards is exhausted, the round ends and the players add up their points.
How can more players vary the tactics and increase the jeopardy of Jaipur?
· Initial deal: each player is dealt five cards to start with, which will include different goods and perhaps some camels. With luck, you’ll have a couple of the same goods type to start with, which you could exploit for an early sale. You don’t know at this stage what cards the other players have. With more than two players, the risk of one opponent starting with a saleable set, or other people holding cards of a type you want, is of course greater
· Restocking the market (1): when a player takes only one goods card or all the camels from the market, the slots are refilled from the face-down replacement deck. You don’t know what’s coming up next, so you might unwittingly gift a prime card to the next player. If you’re sitting further round the table, you might have to watch the card you’ve been waiting for be seized by an opponent
· Restocking the market (2): if you decide to take two or more goods cards from the market, you have to refill those slots from your own hand (either goods cards or camels or a combination). Not only might you gift others the cards they want, but you’re gambling on not needing those cards later yourself. Is it worth sacrificing your big camel herd, worth a bonus of 5, in order to secure a goods set that might get a higher bonus?
· Bonuses: it can be profitable to wait to sell until you’ve collected a set of three or more of a goods type, and the more copies you sell at once the greater the bonus. Three-copy bonuses range from 1 to 3 rupees, four-copy bonuses from 4 to 6 rupees, and five-copy bonuses from 8 to 10 rupees. It’s a bold move to wait for five copies while other players sell early for higher prices, but the big bonus could be worth it. More players means it’s more likely that someone will take this approach.
Does playing with more people improve the experience of Jaipur?
In short, we found the answer for Jaipur is definitely ‘yes’. People used a variety of tactical approaches with greater or lesser success. In a three-person game, my brother ruthlessly pursued most-valuable Diamonds cards and sold early at the highest price, ignoring the low-value three-copy bonus that he could have waited a bit longer for. He won two rounds out of three. At the other end of the scale, my wife quietly built up a set of five least-valuable Leather cards, then scooped a ten-point bonus with them. She won the third round. I held the most camels, but the five-point bonus wasn’t enough to save me…
In a four-person game with friends, we found play was unpredictable as carefully-laid plans were blown up by opponents chasing the same goods type, or by deliberately holding onto a card that someone else needed in order to sabotage them. Opportunities for this type of spoiling tactic are greater with more players, and it certainly added to the game experience. We’re still friends, I’m glad to say.
Is the game suitable for a range of ages?
The makers bill Jaipur as suitable for ages 10+, which is probably about right in terms of taking the sorts of approaches I’ve outlined above. Our grandchildren aren’t old enough to play yet, but we think they’ll enjoy the basic mechanics of collecting and selling quite soon. Equally, as older players we feel the concept and high-quality artwork illustrating it is attractive, and the rules are easy to pick up. Games of Jaipur move along quickly and it’s an enjoyable way to spend time with others – if you play as a three or four, it’s a genuinely social occasion. We hope you enjoy the multi-player version of Jaipur as much as we have!
