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- BGG #2,286
- BGG rating
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Hidden Leaders
- 2–6 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,813
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Chesney
2023
Rules assistance for Chesney
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–10 players
- 30–45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
Rules assistant for Chesney
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Chesney is a board game released in 2023 for 4–10 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Manuel Cheung and Yoyo Yeung and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Take That.
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About the game
Chesney is a game filled with elements of strategy, social deduction, and factions that may change throughout the game. At the start of the game, Faction and Character Cards (for Advanced Mode) are not revealed. Players can freely converse and make any claims at any time during the game. On your turn, you need to take different actions using the cards or characters in your hand to find potential allies or defeat potential enemies during the game. The goal of each round of the game is to have only one faction remaining in control of the battlefield. Please note that factions are not static or fixed. With the Dual Faction card system, players may change their own or another Faction. This is absolutely a chaotic yet compelling faction game. Challenge your social skills and strategic thinking (or maybe your luck), and become a legend in the Kingdom of Catrolia! —description from the publisher
Questions and answers
Chesney supports 4–10 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 Chesney is 30–45 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 Chesney for ages 12 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.
Chesney has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Chesney belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Take That. 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 Chesney are: Manuel Cheung and Yoyo Yeung. 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 Chesney 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.