- BGG rank
- BGG #2,764
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Potato Man
- 2–5 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,999
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Pisa
1999
Rules assistance for Pisa
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Pisa
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pisa is a board game released in 1999 for 3–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Günter Burkhardt and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,393
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Cliffhanger
- 3–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,318
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Druids
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,396
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Trump, Tricks, Game!
- 3–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,120
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Volltreffer
- 3–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,876
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Nur die Ziege zählt
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,147
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Willi
- 3–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,261
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Vom Kap bis Kairo
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,887
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Glastonbury
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,532
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Manitou
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1997
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,668
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Spot On
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,134
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Delphi
- 3–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2002
About the game
from Schloesser session report: This is a trick-taking game, but with enough twists to give it a very different feel. Before each hand, players bid, one at a time, to determine three factors which will affect the hand: a) trump colors (primary & secondary) b) most or fewest tricks c) whether zero is considered 'high' or 'low' Bidding is done by playing cards face-down from your hand. Players must bid 1 - 3 three cards on each of these categories. Once all three factors have been determined, players tally the value of the cards they played during this bidding process. The player who played the least value receives 4 (or 5, depending upon the number of players) victory points, with each other player receiving less points depending upon their total. Then, players must discard three of the cards they used in the bidding process, with the remaining cards being returned to their hands. This is usually a tough choice as often the conditions in effect for a particular hand turn out to be different than what you had hoped. This means that many of the cards you played may no longer be useful to you; indeed, they may be a detriment. So, deciding on which cards to keep and which to discard can be tough. After this procedure is complete, A standard trick-taking game ensues. Points, however, are rewarded based on whether the goal was to take the most or fewest tricks. The player finishing with the most (or fewest, depending upon which goal was in force) receives 8 points (or 10 of playing with 5 players), the next player gets 6 points and so on down to 2 points. After a hand is completed, the entire process is repeated, including the bidding phase. A number of rounds equal to the number of players is played, with the player accumulating the greatest number of victory points being the victor.
Questions and answers
Pisa 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 Pisa is 45 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 Pisa for ages 12 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.
Pisa has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Pisa belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are 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 Pisa are: Günter Burkhardt. 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 Pisa 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.