- BGG rank
- BGG #21,661
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Renfield
- 4–7 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,845
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Dead Money
2006
Rules assistance for Dead Money
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 20 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.4/5
Rules assistant for Dead Money
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dead Money is a board game released in 2006 for 3–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by James Ernest and its main mechanics are Betting and Bluffing.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,815
- BGG rating
- 5.6
The Great Brain Robbery
- 3–7 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,582
- BGG rating
- 5.8
XXXenophile
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1996
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,047
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Lord of the Fries
- 3–8 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,180
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Give Me the Brain!
- 3–8 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1996
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,647
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Dead Fellas
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,029
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Unspeakable Words
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,767
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Unspeakable Words: Deluxe Edition
- 2–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,527
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Secret Tijuana Deathmatch
- 3–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,498
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Cowpoker
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,914
- BGG rating
- 4.7
Landyland
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,878
- BGG rating
- 5.1
Simpsons Trading Card Game
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2003
About the game
From the Cheapass website: It's the Old West, and you find yourselves working at Friedey's, the watering hole of the damned. You're the last few payers in a poker game you're not allowed to win. Now lose all your money as fast as you can, while everybody else is trying to do the same. Oh, and you'll probably need the Brain. Dead Money is the newest game in the Friedey's series (Give Me the Brain, Lord of the Fries, and The Great Brain Robbery). It's a wacky cross between poker and Give Me The Brain. Players begin with a hand of cards and no Brains. The Brains are cards in the deck; there are eight of them all together. The object of the game is to get rid of your cards, which represent (among other things) the money you have left in this poker game. Of course, a lot of the cards make you draw more cards, and a lot of them require that you have a Brain. Dead Money is a quick-playing and clever variation on a classic Cheapass game, and it features glorious cowboy zombies by artist Brian Snoddy.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Cheapass Games
Questions and answers
Dead Money 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 Dead Money is 20 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 Dead Money 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.
Dead Money 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.
Dead Money belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Betting and Bluffing. 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 Dead Money are: James Ernest. 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 Dead Money 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.