
- BGG rank
- BGG #117
- BGG rating
- 7.7
7 Wonders
- 2–7 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2010

Rules assistance for Silberzwerg
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.
Silberzwerg is a board game released in 2000 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Gerd Deininger and Andreas Michaelis and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Players manage a set of dwarves mining for gems to fulfill randomly distributed contracts. Each turn, players simultaneously decide where to send their dwarves. Four of the dwarves are simply miners and will mine a particular color of gem, depending on placement. Gem prices are set each round, cheaper the more dwarves that are mining it. Players also have two boss dwarves, which can either be shadow dwarves (used to carry out evil actions on other players), or silver dwarves (usually beneficial actions for the player). Assembling the correct assortment of gems and assigning a silver dwarf to fulfill a contract, he can score either his own contract or one of two open contracts. Or he can assign a silver dwarf simply to sell gems for cash. High score when all the contracts are gone wins, but usually someone wins before that happens by hitting 600 points.
Silberzwerg 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 Silberzwerg 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 Silberzwerg for ages 10 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.
Silberzwerg has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Silberzwerg belongs to these categories: Economic. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Silberzwerg are: Gerd Deininger and Andreas Michaelis. 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 Silberzwerg 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.