
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Alhambra: Big Box
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2009

1992
Rules assistance for Alhambra: The Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Alhambra: The Card Game is a board game released in 1992 for 2–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Dirk Henn and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Area Majority / Influence.
Alhambra: The Card Game is a game that both inspired and was named after the more popular, award-winning game and franchise, Alhambra. This game has been released in several different versions, with the same core rules but different themes. The 2010 release of the game re-themed what was then called Stimmt So! to Alhambra: The Card Game, after the popular Game: Alhambra franchise and related, award-winning game Alhambra. Alhambra, is itself derived from Stimmt So!. The original version of the game, Al Capone, was published in 1992 by a self-publishing company, db-Spiele, which was owned by the game designer Dirk Henn. The re-theming of Stimmt So! and Alhambra: The Card Game resulted in the same game with different themes and only minor differences. Changes between Stimmt So! to Alhambra: The Card Game include: 1) The initial money rules from Alhambra are used. 2) The 2 player variant rules from Alhambra are used. Stimmt So! A description of this version: Using mechanics similar to Union Pacific or its predecessor, Airlines, this game is about acquiring stock interests in the various aspects of a large corporation. There are six different types of stock, which will reward the majority and sometimes the minority stockholders throughout the game. Stock is made available by drawing cards on a four-card queue. Each of the positions on the queue is a different stock market, which means there are four different currencies (Dollar, Euro, Ruble, Yen). The currency cards are drawn from another queue on the same board. A turn is quite simple - either take one of the four available currency cards or use some of your currency cards to purchase one of the available stocks. If you pay more than the amount indicated on the stock card, the excess is lost. However, if you purchase the stock for the exact printed price, then you can buy another stock, and so on. After two randomly distributed payouts, the game ends with a final payout with the final stock card. The player with the highest payout point total is the winner. Al Capone A description of this version: Using Influence cards, you collect Trade cards from different areas of town under the Mafia control, giving you control over the Distillery, the Chinese Laundry, the Betting Shop, etc. If you spend the exact amount of Influence required, you get another turn, and so on. Scoring occurs randomly twice during the game and at the end. When the first scoring occurs, only the majority holder in each Trade scores. When the second scoring occurs, the first and second majority holders score, and at the final scoring, the first three majority holders score. Ties are split accordingly. Other versions/re-themes: Alhambra Bonn card game is Alhambra the card game with the Bonn theme. Originally as a limited run for Bonn, Germany and surrounding areas. There is also a Alhambra New York card game which is currently out of print, as well as an Alhambra Nederland card game. The re-themes are collectors items that people like to collect. Player Counts: Earlier versions typically had a player count of 3-6 players while more recent versions, such as New York, is listed as 2-6 players.
Alhambra: The Card Game supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Alhambra: The Card Game is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Alhambra: The Card Game for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Alhambra: The Card Game has a complexity rating of 1.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Alhambra: The Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Economic. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Area Majority / Influence. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Alhambra: The Card Game are: Dirk Henn. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Alhambra: The Card Game as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.