
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,062
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Sailing Toward Osiris
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2018

2010
Rules assistance for Jin Li
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Jin Li is a board game released in 2010 for 2 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by W. David MacKenzie and its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Grid Movement.
Jin Li (锦鲤) is the Chinese word for Koi. Koi are friendly fish. They love getting close to other koi, rubbing up against each other, gathering in small groups. In Jin Li the players each control two koi in a pond. They swim their fish through the placid water, maneuvering around or jumping over stones that are dropped into the pond, and score points by getting close to any of the other koi. Be a friendly koi and score points, but don't let your opponent's koi get too friendly or you'll lose the game. Jin Li is a fishy little game that's easy to learn and fast to play.
Jin Li 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 Jin Li is 15 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 Jin Li for ages 6 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.
Jin Li 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.
Jin Li belongs to these categories: Animals and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Grid Movement. 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 Jin Li are: W. David MacKenzie. 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 Jin Li 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.