
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,439
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Xylotar
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2024

Rules assistance for Magic Trick: The -1 Cards
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Magic Trick: The -1 Cards is an expansion for Magic Trick released in 2025 for 3–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Christopher Wray and its main mechanics are Deduction and Trick-taking.
By adding the included -1 cards to the deck, both the bidding and the trick-taking become more challenging. The biggest changes are to the setup of Magic Trick. Use the number of suits in the base game rules. Then, shuffle the -1s of the chosen suits in with the playing cards from Magic Trick. Then set one random card of each suit aside without looking at the front. Then proceed as normal. The cards make gameplay and scoring more challenging. When sorting the cards for your neighbor, remember that -1 is less than 0. Otherwise, gameplay is the same. Each captured -1 is worth minus one point. If a player bid with a -1 card (i.e. if that is the card up their sleeve), they will miss their bid, since it is not possible to take negative tricks. Do not use the Prestige Bonus when playing this way. —description from the designer
Magic Trick: The -1 Cards supports 3–5 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 Magic Trick: The -1 Cards 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 Magic Trick: The -1 Cards for ages 13 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.
Magic Trick: The -1 Cards belongs to these categories: Card Game and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Deduction and Trick-taking. 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 Magic Trick: The -1 Cards are: Christopher Wray. 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 Magic Trick: The -1 Cards as an expansion for Magic Trick. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Magic Trick to use it. Check that your edition of Magic Trick is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.