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Voodoo Prince
- 2–5 players
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Stick 'Em
1993
Rules assistance for Stick 'Em
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–8 players
- 30–60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Stick 'Em
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Stick 'Em is a board game released in 1993 for 3–8 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Klaus Palesch and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Trick-taking.
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About the game
In the trick-taking card game Stick 'Em, first released as Sticheln, players seek to gather points each hand by taking as many cards as possible of all but one color, while trying to avoid cards of one color of their choosing. In more detail, at the beginning of each hand, each player simultaneously selects and reveals one card from their hand, with the color of this card representing their "pain" color. At the end of the hand, each card of this color that they've collected (including their initial choice from their hand) is worth negative points equal to the card's face value. Each card of another color that this player has collected is worth 1 point. To play out the hand, the active player leads a card, then each other player in clockwise order plays one card. If all cards are of the same color, then whoever played the highest card collects these cards, then leads the next trick; if all cards are not of the same color, then whoever played the highest card of a color not initially led collects these cards, then leads the next trick. (One exception: A zero card can never win a trick.) In effect, each color played in a particular trick that doesn't match the color of the card led is considered a trump card, and the highest trump wins. In the event of a tie, the earlier played card breaks the tie. Play as many hands as the number of players in the game, summing each player's points over those hands to determine a winner. Some versions of Sticheln allow for play with up to six players, while the third and fourth German editions of the game include enough cards to allow for play with up to eight players. (These versions also allow players to play the game Hattrick by the same designer, with rules for this game included as a variant.)
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Popcorn Games
- AMIGO
- Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag
- Tranjis Games
- Grail Games
- 数寄ゲームズ (Suki Games)
- Capstone Games
Questions and answers
Stick 'Em supports 3–8 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 Stick 'Em is 30–60 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 Stick 'Em 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.
Stick 'Em has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
Stick 'Em belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Trick-taking. 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 Stick 'Em are: Klaus Palesch. 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 Stick 'Em 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.