Having been introduced to Splendor at a Board Games day, we very quickly found it was a board game to our taste. The basic premise of the game is that the winner is the first to amass 15 points, which is achieved by the purchasing of cards, some of which have zero points, and others have up to 5 points in value.
Gameplay
The game can be played between 2 and 4 players. In a 4-player game, there are 7 discs each of red, black, blue, white and green, although if less players are participating, that number is reduced accordingly, and there are also 5 yellow discs used for reserving game cards. At the beginning of the game, there are 4 cards each of blue, green and amber backs placed face up on the table, with the remainder of each colour left beside as a replenishment pile. There are also noble cards placed face up, the total of which is determined by the number of players plus 1, so for example, a 4-player game will see 5 noble cards placed face up. When these cards are obtained by players, they are not replaced.
The game begins with the youngest player always, and it is players’ choice as to whether play continues clockwise or anti-clockwise round the table.
On his/her go, a player can do one of 4 things:
· They can take 3 discs, provided they are all different colours
· They can take 2 discs of the same colour, provided there are at least 4 of that particular colour in the draw pile at that precise moment in time
· They can take a game card and set a yellow (wildcard) token on top of it in their own pile – this reserves the card for that player
· They can cash in tokens to purchase any card of any level of difficulty from the face up pile
When a player trades in the appropriate discs for a card, the gemstone appearing on the top of the card will then act in place of a coloured disc for all other attempts by that player to purchase other cards. The cards are the player’s to keep, and do not have to be returned to buy other cards. For example, if a player has 1 red, 1 black and 1 green disc, along with a card bearing a blue gemstone, if he/she wants to purchase a card requiring 1 each of red, black, green and blue, he/she only needs return the other 3 discs, keeping hold of the blue card.
As the game progresses, it will be very probable that a player will have a suitable quantity of gemstone cards gathered together that they will be able to purchase further cards without actually having to trade in any coloured discs. The amassing of cards, as well as for the purpose of collecting points, is also necessary for the gifting of a noble card later in the game.
It is also important to note that a player can have a maximum of 10 coloured discs in front of them at any one time. Should he/she have more by the end of their go, they must return the appropriate quantity to the pile, thus ensuring that everyone has a fair chance of collecting the necessary discs.
Each noble card will have a ‘cost’ of either 3 each of 3 different colours, or else 4 each of 2 different colours, but the noble card will only be gained when a player has the total number of gemstone cards required. Coloured discs cannot be used to purchase a noble card. The visit of the noble is considered an honour for the player to have bestowed upon themselves, and this will happen automatically as soon as that player collects the required number of cards. Every noble is also worth 3 points towards your required total of 15 points. Players can win the game without the acquisition of a noble card, but it is certainly a big help to have it. Once a player reaches the 15-point mark, play may or may not continue, depending on the order in which the winner has taken their go. If the winner was, for example, the same person who started, every other player takes one more go, ensuring that every player has an equal number of turns. This also gives other players one final opportunity to get him/herself to that magic 15-point mark, and should there be 2 or more who finish that round with a score of 15 or over, it is the player, naturally, with the highest score who will win. If it is still a tie, then it is the player with the fewest gemstone cards that will be deemed the winner.
Final thoughts
Having played it a number of times since Christmas 2025, I would certainly rate it very highly. If you want a quick game that will be over inside 15 minutes, this is not the game for you; however, if you enjoy a strategy game which, while slow to get going, certainly picks up the pace as cards are collected, I would highly recommend it to you. It can appeal to all ages, with our 9-year-old nephew being introduced to it and ending up playing 4 games of it in quick succession. This is a game that requires planning and strategy, especially as you plot to purchase a card that your fellow player may also be eying up.
