
- BGG rank
- BGG #302
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Glory to Rome
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2005

2005
Rules assistance for Sneeze
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Sneeze is a board game released in 2005 for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Carl Chudyk and Ed Carter (III) and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Pattern Building.
Your friend swats at her pet cat, saying "Shoo!" The house cat jumps off the old table, sending dust clouds everywhere. As the cat leaps into your lap, your nose starts to itch! Your friend laughs at you mischievously. The object of Sneeze is to match Sneeze cards to your opponents’ allergies and make them sneeze. If you sneeze too much, you’re out! Players each start with one Sneeze card as an Allergy. On your turn you place a sneeze card into either the upwind pool (which will make people sneeze immediately) or the downwind pool (which is safe until the wind changes). If all of your allergy cards are matched by cards in the upwind pool then you sneeze, that pool clears, you draw another allergy card and both you and the player who made you sneeze draw an 'And Now' (event) card. These can be played on your turn instead of flipping an allergy card to effect the course of the game (e.g. you hold your breath to avoid sneezing, or play a 'mean trick' to double the effect of one of the cards than an opponent is allergic to). When a player with four allergies sneezes they are out--at that point the game switches to 'sudden death' with any player who sneezes being eliminated. This is clearly a kids game, but with a few twists of strategy to keep everybody interested, especially around management of 'And Now' cards, and preparing for the switch into the sudden death end game.
Sneeze supports 2–6 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 Sneeze 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 Sneeze for ages 6 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.
Sneeze has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Sneeze belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Pattern Building. 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 Sneeze are: Carl Chudyk and Ed Carter (III). 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 Sneeze 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.