Auction

Object

To bid for the most valuable and expensive works of art.

Players

• • 2-6

Cards

• • Art Cards

    • Bad Art Cards

  • Forgery Cards

  • Money Cards

    • Special Money Cards

Preparation

Each player gets three forgery cards then selects one card and places it face-down on the table. All the forgery cards on the table are collected and put into an envelope until the end of the game. The remainder of the Forgery Cards are put away. Each player is dealt 10 Money Cards. The remainder of the Money Cards are formed into a pile called The Bank. The Art Cards are shuffled and eight are chosen. The rest of the Art Cards are set aside. The eight chosen Art Cards are turned face up and shown to the players. This is called the “Hilling Session.” When the players are done looking at the cards they are turned back over and shuffled into a single pile called the Catalog.

The Round

Play is done in rounds in which players bid for an Art Card from the Catalog. For each round, the top Art Card of the Catalog is turned over (face-up). Each player must put a Money Card from their hand face-down on the table. This is the Initial Bid. All players must make an Initial Bid. When all players have made their bid, they turn over their cards. The player with the highest value Money Card wins the Initial Bid. Other players can raise their initial bids by putting down additional Money Cards from their hands in order to raise their bid. There is no limit to how much can be offered nor are any turns taken during this phase. All players continue to offer bids until one player has the highest amount. That player discards the cards used to make their bid and collects the Art Card. All other players collect their bids. Special cards can be played at any point in the round.

After The Round

When a round is finished: players can sell one artwork back to the house, all Special Cards played during the round are resolved, a new Art Card is revealed, and another round of bidding begins.

Special Cards

Pass–the player does not have to bid in that round. Commission–the player receives a Money Card from the winner of that round. The winner must choose which Money Card to give as a commission. Double Bid–can double the player’s bid. Inheritance–the player takes the top card from the pile of the Art Cards (not the Catalog). Heist–the player randomly takes one artwork from another player.

Selling Art

Between rounds, a player can sell one work of art in their possession. The player takes the top Money Card from the Bank and keeps it. The sold artwork is discarded to the bottom of the Art Cards pile (not the Catalog).

The End of the Game

The game ends when all eight Art Cards in the catalog have been auctioned. The Forgery Cards in the envelope are then revealed. All players estimate the total value of their art but do not count the value of any works that match the Forgery Cards.

Winning the Game

The player with the most money after selling all their art wins.