- BGG rank
- BGG #13,237
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Skippity
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,506
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Qwirkle Cards
2015
Rules assistance for Qwirkle Cards
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Qwirkle Cards
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Qwirkle Cards is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Susan McKinley Ross and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
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About the game
In terms of its gameplay, Qwirkle Cards plays somewhat like Rummikub, with players laying down cards/tiles from their hand onto the table and possibly moving things around to create new sets. In more detail, players start with a hand of nine cards from the 108-card deck; each card shows a colored symbol, with each of the six symbols appearing three times in each of the six colors. Whoever has the most cards in hand of one symbol or one color (but without duplicates) starts the game by laying these cards face up on the table as a set. Players then take turns in clockwise order. On a turn, a player must add at least one card to the table; if she can't, she draws nine new cards, shuffles her old hand into the deck, then plays. When she plays, she can play as many cards as she likes as long as they share a color or symbol. She can create a new set if she plays at least three cards or she can add her cards to existing sets (as long as she doesn't duplicate a color or symbol) or she can do both. On her turn, she can move cards from one set to another, possibly using these cards with cards that she plays in order to create a new set. The point of this gameplay is to create qwirkles, that is, a set of six cards that contains either each symbol in a single color or each color in a single symbol. When a player creates a qwirkle, she claims this set from the table. After a player's turn, she refills her hand to nine cards. The game continues until the deck runs out of cards. Each player then takes one final turn, including the one who took the final card, then whoever has claimed the most qwirkles wins!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- GoKids 玩樂小子
- Schmidt Spiele
- Korea Boardgames
- G3
- 999 Games
- IELLO
- MindWare
Questions and answers
Qwirkle Cards 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 Qwirkle Cards is 20 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 Qwirkle Cards 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.
Qwirkle Cards has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Qwirkle Cards belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection. 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 Qwirkle Cards are: Susan McKinley Ross. 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 Qwirkle Cards 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.