- BGG rating
- 6.0
Smoke & Mirrors: Double Backed Swirls Card
- 2–5 players
- 10–20 min
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,203
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Smoke & Mirrors
2015
Rules assistance for Smoke & Mirrors
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Smoke & Mirrors
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Smoke & Mirrors is a board game released in 2015 for 2–5 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Chip Beauvais and its main mechanics are Betting and Bluffing.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Smoke & Mirrors: Deduction
- 2–5 players
- 10–20 min
- 2018
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About the game
As the greatest magicians in the world, players will compete against each other by performing bigger and better tricks. The magicians need to be careful, because once their secrets are revealed, they are out! Smoke & Mirrors is a bluffing game for 2-5 players. As the greatest magicians in the world, players will compete for the top spot by trying to go bigger and better than the previous magician using a limited number of tricks. But the players need to watch how much they share, because once their secrets are revealed, they are out! Players each get 3 trick cards, from 3 different decks. They must use these cards to create a magic act that has a trick value of one number higher than the player to their left using any amount of their cards. If successful, the players continue, building more and more dangerous magic acts. The winner is the last player standing.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Button Shy
Questions and answers
Smoke & Mirrors supports 2–5 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 Smoke & Mirrors is 15 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 Smoke & Mirrors 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.
Smoke & Mirrors has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Smoke & Mirrors belongs to these categories: Card Game, Print & Play, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Betting and Bluffing. 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 Smoke & Mirrors are: Chip Beauvais. 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 Smoke & Mirrors 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.