- BGG rank
- BGG #21,070
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Oversiege
- 2–10 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,823
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Balk
2019
Rules assistance for Balk
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 15–30 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.2/5
Rules assistant for Balk
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Balk is a board game released in 2019 for 2–4 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Andy Bergmann.
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About the game
Balk is a strategic card game that's simple to learn, yet becomes increasingly more complex as you discover its intricate strategies. To win you have to outfox your opponents and get into their heads! Gameplay is fast paced and it's ultra-portable. THE DECK One complete deck of Balk cards includes: 10 point cards 10 blue bid cards 10 green bid cards 10 salmon bid cards 10 purple bid cards GOAL The goal is to win each round by collecting more points than your opponents. The first player to win three rounds wins the game! SET UP The gold point cards are shuffled and placed in the center. Each player chooses a color and takes all ten of their bid cards. With fewer than four players, unused bid cards are removed from play. GAMEPLAY Turn over the top point card and place it face up. Each player bids for the point card by placing the bid card of their choice face down on the table. Once all players have bid, flip the bid cards over. The player with the highest bid wins the point card and takes it. If more than one player bids the same highest card, no one wins the point card and it is removed from the round. All played bid and point cards must be placed face up on the table so all players can see them. SCORING Each round ends when all ten point cards have been played. Players then add up their points and the player with the highest score wins the round. If more than one player ties for the highest score there is no winner for the round. There are no ties in Balk! The first player to win three rounds wins the game! —description from the publisher
Questions and answers
Balk supports 2–4 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 Balk is 15–30 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 Balk for ages 7 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.
Balk has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Balk belongs to these categories: Card Game. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Balk and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Balk are: Andy Bergmann. 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 Balk 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.