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- 6.5
Spellcaster
- 2–4 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2014
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- BGG #5,881
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Pyramid Poker
2017
Rules assistance for Pyramid Poker
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 10–30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Pyramid Poker
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pyramid Poker is a board game released in 2017 for 2 players, 10–30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Aaron Weissblum and Norman Woods and its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Pattern Building.
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About the game
Pyramid Poker is a two-player design that consists of 54 wooden rectangular blocks, 52 of them with the standard card deck distribution (2-A in four suits) on one side and two of them with a pharaoh on one side. To set up the game, place all of the blocks face down and shuffle them. Each player then takes fifteen blocks. They take turns looking at one of their blocks and placing them into a two-dimensional pyramid-shaped structure, again seeing only their blocks, then they take turns removing any one block from the pyramid and placing it into one of three poker hands that they're constructing. Each poker hand is competing against the one opposite it that's being built by the opponent. If a player draws a pharaoh, they draw three face-down blocks that weren't initially chosen, discard two of them, then add the third block to one of their poker hands. Once all the blocks have been removed, the player who wins two or three of the poker hands wins!
Questions and answers
Pyramid Poker 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 Pyramid Poker is 10–30 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 Pyramid Poker 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.
Pyramid Poker has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
The main mechanics of Pyramid Poker are Tile Placement and Pattern Building. Mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns, such as rolling dice, drafting cards or placing workers. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you enjoyed Pyramid Poker and want something comparable.
The credited designers of Pyramid Poker are: Aaron Weissblum and Norman Woods. 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 Pyramid Poker 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.