- BGG rank
- BGG #12,536
- BGG rating
- 6.1
4 Seasons
- 2 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,108
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Elements
2010
Rules assistance for Elements
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 10–20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Elements
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Elements is a board game released in 2010 for 2 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by team SAIEN and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
Elements, a.k.a. Khmer, is a bluffing and deduction game for two players that contains only sixteen cards, with each player trying to figure out the best time to end the round so that they can win. The goal each round is to have a hand of cards with a higher sum than the opponent, but equal to or less than the sum played to the table. To set up a round, deal six cards face down to each player, then remove the remaining four cards, unseen, from the game. On your turn, you take one of these five actions: 1: PLAY a card from your hand to the table, overlapping any cards previously played and announcing the sum of all revealed cards. 2: DRAW the most recently played card from the table and place it in front of you; this card counts as being in your hand, thereby increasing the sum of your hand and lowering the sum on the table, but you cannot discard or play this card. 3: DISCARD a 6 card from your hand, placing it to the side out of play for this round. 4: KNOCK to end the round and see who wins; you may do this only if the sum of cards in your hand is equal to or less than the sum on the table. The players then compare sums, and whoever has the highest sum (without going over the sum of cards on the table) wins 2 points; if the players are tied, the player who knocked loses. 5: FOLD to end the round because you think that you will lose; the opponent wins 1 point. Shuffle all the cards, and redeal; the player who scored in the round starts the next round, and the first player to collect 6 points wins. Alternatively, players can play only a single round to determine the winner, ignoring the FOLD action since that's a sure loser...
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
- Arclight Games
- Ediciones MasQueOca
- Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
- Saien
Questions and answers
Elements supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Elements is 10–20 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 Elements 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.
Elements has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Elements belongs to these categories: Card Game and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Elements are: team SAIEN. 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 Elements 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.