
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,916
- BGG rating
- 6.7
OddVille
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2012

2014
Rules assistance for Johari
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.
Johari is a board game released in 2014 for 2–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Carlo Lavezzi and its main mechanics are Set Collection, End Game Bonuses, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Johari is a world famous jewelry market in Jaipur, so naturally in the game Johari you and your fellow players will try to buy and sell gems in order to come out tops on the market. The game lasts ten days, with players taking three actions each day. At the start of each day, the market is seeded with new gems, gold and prestige cards, with the stores holding only items of the same type and bazaar booths holding whatever comes to them. A new noble visits the market each day, offering a special power to whoever wants to pay for the privilege, with his price dropping each day. Each player chooses one of the seven action cards in hand, then they resolve them in order of who has the most gold. They then do this twice more, getting discounts now for the cost of taking certain actions. The action cards let you earn gold, take all the cards from one store or bazaar booth, hire a noble, swap gems, protect yourself for inspections in case you have fake gems, copy your previously played action, or (most important of all) sell gems. In addition to points from nobles and prestige cards, most of your score will come from gems that you sell — but you need to sell the right gems in the right way. When selling to a jeweler, you need to sell four different types of gems (or three types and gold), but you score only for one of the gem cards sold; when selling to a collector, you sell gems of only one type, but you have to hold the most gems of that type and you score only the difference between what you hold and what the player with the secondmost gems of this type holds. Status matters in the collector community! Whoever has the most prestige points after ten days wins.
Johari 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 Johari is 60–90 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 Johari 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.
Johari has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Johari belongs to these categories: Economic. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, End Game Bonuses, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Johari are: Carlo Lavezzi. 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 Johari 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.