- BGG rank
- BGG #8,175
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Football Strategy
- 2–4 players
- 150 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 1959
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,384
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Decathlon
1972
Rules assistance for Decathlon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–8 players
- 120 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Decathlon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Decathlon is a board game released in 1972 for 1–8 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Thomas N. Shaw, Elliott Denman, and Richard Cohen and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling.
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About the game
This Sports Illustrated game is a simulation of the Olympic Decathlon. You compete as one of 7 real medal winning decathletes: Jim Thorpe, Bob Matthias, Vasily Kuznetsov, Milt Campbell, Rafer Johnson, CK Yang, Bill Toomey. A fictional 8th player is a composite althete composed of the best performance of each event from these 7 athletes. Each event is simulated by rolling 3 special dice to generate a number which is used to read a result on a table for each althete. Some events allow a choice of trying an average attempt, a safe attempt, or going all out (which increase the risks of fouling or injuries). In events like the high jump and pole vault, the more attempts made the greater chance of fatigue. Injuries and fatigue affect the results of later events. Each event is converted to the standard scoring table for the decathlon. Also known as Track Meet.
Mechanics
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
- Sports Illustrated
- Time Life
Questions and answers
Decathlon supports 1–8 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 Decathlon is 120 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 Decathlon 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.
Decathlon has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Decathlon belongs to these categories: Dice and Sports. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling. 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 Decathlon are: Thomas N. Shaw, Elliott Denman, and Richard Cohen. 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 Decathlon 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.