- BGG rank
- BGG #9,020
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Where's Bob's Hat?
- 2–5 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 1990
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,250
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Black Spy
1981
Rules assistance for Black Spy
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- 14+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Black Spy
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Black Spy is a board game released in 1981 for 3–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Alan R. Moon and its main mechanics are Closed Drafting and Trick-taking.
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About the game
The trick-taking game Black Spy is a film noir take on Hearts as you want to enlist the best spies you can while avoiding the black spies, who will always turn against you. Black Spy lasts a number of rounds, with players scoring points each round. The game is played using mostly standard trick-taking rules: Each turn, someone plays a card to the center of the table, then in turn each player lays down (if possible) a card matching the suit or rank of the card led, throwing out any other card otherwise. The highest card in the color led wins the trick, and that player leads the next trick. Points come only from the black cards, with the black spies (yes, "spies", with six black #7 cards) being worth ten points each and all other black cards worth 1-5 points. When someone reaches 200 or more points at the end of a round, the game ends and the player with the lowest score wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Hexagames (I)
- ABACUSSPIELE
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
- Z-Man Games
- Ali Baba e.V.
Questions and answers
Black Spy supports 3–6 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 Black Spy 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 Black Spy for ages 14 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.
Black Spy 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.
Black Spy belongs to these categories: Card Game and Spies / Secret Agents. Its main mechanics are Closed Drafting and 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 Black Spy are: Alan R. Moon. 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 Black Spy 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.