- BGG rank
- BGG #2,110
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Hare & Tortoise
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,351
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Ninety-Nine
1974
Rules assistance for Ninety-Nine
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ninety-Nine
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ninety-Nine is a board game released in 1974 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by David Parlett and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Trick-taking, and Predictive Bid.
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About the game
Trick-taking card game for three in which players must sacrifice cards from their hands to bid the number of tricks they will take. It uses a standard deck of cards, shorted to 6 through Ace in each suit, plus one Joker. (A more recent version of play omits the joker.) To bid, lay aside three cards from your hand; the suit of those cards determines how many tricks you must take (each club is three tricks, heart two tricks, spade one trick, diamond zero tricks). Score one point per trick you take plus a bonus if you make your bid exactly. For an additional bonus, you may offer to declare by turning your bidcards face up at start of play, thus declaring your target and revealing more information about the lie of cards. For a higher bonus, you may also offer to reveal. This involves not only turning your bid-cards up but also then playing with your hand of cards exposed on the table before the opening lead. While designed for three players, the four-player version is faithful to the original but played with a standard 52-card deck. Two- and five-player variants also exists, but they employ a dummy hand and a 500 deck, respectively.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Games and Puzzles (magazine)
Questions and answers
Ninety-Nine 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 Ninety-Nine is 60 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 Ninety-Nine 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.
Ninety-Nine has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Ninety-Nine belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Trick-taking, and Predictive Bid. 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 Ninety-Nine are: David Parlett. 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 Ninety-Nine 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.