I’m last in the queue and the pressure’s on. I’ve held off on buying Market cards so that I can grab the Six Fingered Glove relic, worth 7 points, and get right back into this game. Fortunately, Craig and Adrian are throwing their resources (literally) into trying to stop Francis extending his lead and they haven’t cottoned on to my plan. Ha. Mugs!
Adrian buys the card that Francis was banking on. “That’s ruined my plan”, Francis says with a weary sigh. "I'll buy this instead". And then he proceeds to snatch Six Fingered Glove from under my nose. Aggghhh! Who’s the mug now? Stress, anxiety, disappointment. Thief’s Market is not only a game, it’s a small box lesson in anger management! OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but “LEAVE MY STUFF ALONE!!!”.
In Thief’s Market you’ll collect dice to draft cards to get stuff, and then you’ll use that stuff to obtain better stuff, including victory points. So far, so meh! However, what distinguishes this game from a host of mediocre engine builders is the extremely engaging dice distribution mechanism which is the heartbeat of Thief’s Market. Rattle fistfuls of dice around and chuck them on the table. Always very satisfying. Then, take as many dice as you think you can get away with. And let the banter commence. Your chum to the left will choose to take more dice from what you have left on the table or steal yours, and so on until everyone has dice in front of them. It’s a genius twist on the ‘I cut, you choose’ mechanic. I’m going to use it to share out the Christmas tat this year!
The ‘I cut, you steal’ mechanism elevates this game beyond ‘meh’ to ‘I wouldn’t mind playing that again’. There is a panoply of decisions to be made, and made quickly. What dice do I need? And what about the first player token? What dice does he or she want? And what about the first player token? The juiciest mini-dilemma that presents itself is ‘how many dice can I get away with taking to avoid them being stolen? Do I take undesirable dice to put them off stealing the dice I want to keep? And yes, what about the first player token? In any game where you are purchasing from a limited supply of cards, going first guarantees first choice and none of those unpleasant squeaky bum moments. The way the first player token is used in this game to increase the tension is very clever.
So, you’ll be both sweating and swearing as your pals steal your dice, buy your cards and your gossamer thin plans dissolve into thin air. Be warned, in Thief’s Market friendship is transitory. On the other hand, Ross doesn’t have friends and he loved it.
The publisher at PickPocket games describes this sweet little card drafting dice chucker, as a ‘Thanksgiving game’, (Yanks, eh? Note: no native Americans lost their land as a result of playing this game). I’m minded to agree that it’s ideal for families that don’t often play games. My feeling is that 4 is the sweet spot though. 5 (the max. number) adds a bit more chaos but maybe a bit more fun too. The teach is straight forward- learn as you go. And it doesn’t have to be a game for thugs. Thief’s Market can also be played at a more genteel pace, for example, when his brother quietly stole his dice, and his last opportunity to score a ton of points, Adrian hardly blinked. Although I did notice his foot tapping rapidly under the table…. maybe he was just in a hurry to go somewhere.
I do have a few minor gripes. The hero cards are ‘vanilla’. It would have been pretty cool if the designer had introduced a touch of asymmetry into the game and printed varying powers on the reverse sides. Also, I’m not a huge fan of the art work. I find it a bit rough and ready. But Francis and Craig liked it so…. The theme is light (fingered, ha ha. What? I’m not allowed a dad joke?). Yes, you are stealing dice and then buying cards from a market, so you are doing what it says on the tin, so to speak, but I don’t find the fantasy setting adds much.
The current ‘refreshed’ edition appears to be a significantly buffed up version of the game that was originally published 10 years ago. Gameplay certainly feels polished and nicely balanced thanks to the dice sharing and first player token mechanics. It doesn’t over stay its welcome-45 mins after learning the rules, although a really tight game where relics remain unpurchased could take longer. And four old blokes had fun with it. In fact, as the final cards were purchased and converted into points the consensus seemed to be -put your copy of Splendor in the charity shop of your choice and buy this little beauty.
