- BGG rank
- BGG #2,814
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Loot
- 2–8 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,719
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Desperados
1980
Rules assistance for Desperados
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
Rules assistant for Desperados
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Desperados is a board game released in 1980 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Team-Based Game.
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About the game
Desperados is a partnership game where players in teams of two must work together to get the most points. In Reiner Knizia's first published game, there are nine mine-opening cards and nine mine-closing cards. To score any points you've got to play gold, silver or copper cards onto the corresponding open mine and then close it. Trouble is, your opponents can close your mine before you want or even try to steal it with bandit cards -- a tough gauntlet to run, but here and there a few points trickle through and into the scoring column. On your turn you either play a card OR draw a card -- not both -- making this rapid-fire card game move at its own special pace, which is very quickly indeed. It was designed primarily for partnership play, and appreciated best by players with good partnership skills. For players who do not want a partnership experience, there are variations for 2 or 3 players. Originally published as Digging by Hexagames in 1990 (Later by Avalanche Press with new pictures on the cards and a trivial rules tweak). Released as Desperados in 2009 by Eagle-Gryphon Games.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
- Hexagames (I)
- Eagle-Gryphon Games
- Avalanche Press Ltd.
Questions and answers
Desperados supports 2–4 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 Desperados is 30 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 Desperados 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.
Desperados has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Desperados belongs to these categories: Card Game and American West. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Team-Based Game. 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 Desperados are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Desperados 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.