- BGG rank
- BGG #2,574
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Ghosts of Christmas
- 3–4 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,191
- BGG rating
- 7.2
American Bookshop
2019
Rules assistance for American Bookshop
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 30–50 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for American Bookshop
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
American Bookshop is a board game released in 2019 for 3–5 players, 30–50 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by 新澤 大樹 (Taiki Shinzawa) and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
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About the game
American Bookshop is a trick-taking game in which players must follow suit when possible, there is no trump, and the highest card of the lead suit wins the trick. However, if the sum of the cards played to a trick exceeds a certain value — 14-17, depending on the player count — the trick ends immediately, and whoever played the last card claims the trick. As such, players may not have equal hand sizes. A round ends when one player is out of cards; the remaining players then simultaneously choose and reveal which cards still in hand they want to add to their collection. Each card a player takes is worth -1 point, but if a player has collected more cards of a suit than each other player, they instead earn +1 point per card in this suit. After as many rounds as the number of players, whoever has the most points wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Geeks N' Orcs
- 双子のライオン堂 (Twins Lion Do)
Questions and answers
American Bookshop supports 3–5 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 American Bookshop is 30–50 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 American Bookshop for ages 8 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.
American Bookshop has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
American Bookshop belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Trick-taking. 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 American Bookshop are: 新澤 大樹 (Taiki Shinzawa). 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 American Bookshop 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.