
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,057
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Container
- 3–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2007

1972
Rules assistance for Dealer's Choice
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dealer's Choice is a board game released in 1972 for 3–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Commodity Speculation.
In Dealer’s Choice, players run competing used car lots, buying and selling vehicles to earn the highest combined value in cash and inventory by game’s end. Each player begins with several cars, a personalized “Blue Book” showing unique car values, an insurance policy, and a hand of Dealer’s Choice cards. These cards offer strategic advantages—such as buying or selling at fixed prices—or disruptive tricks like stealing cars or causing fiery accidents at rival lots. On your turn, you’ll try to buy low and sell high, but beware—what’s valuable to you may be junk to others, and your best deals might just be a Dealer’s Choice card away from disaster. The game ends when the deck runs out and players total their assets to see who ran the most profitable lot.
Dealer's Choice 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 Dealer's Choice 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 Dealer's Choice 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.
Dealer's Choice has a complexity rating of 1.6 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.
Dealer's Choice belongs to these categories: Economic, Negotiation, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Commodity Speculation. 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 catalogue lists Dealer's Choice 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.