
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,280
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Article 27: The UN Security Council Game
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2012

2006
Rules assistance for The Great Chili Cookoff
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Great Chili Cookoff is a board game released in 2006 for 2–7 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Dan Baden and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
Players try to take tricks to capture the ingredients necessary to complete their secret recipe. Taking a trick requires playing a high card, but if cards are tied, the player who played that value last gets the trick--so there is a HUGE disadvantage in going first. From the back of the box: The great chefs come from around the world for just this competition. Are they making strudel, Peking duck, or chicken almandine? Heck no! This is REAL food, food ol' fashioned American cookin' from the heartland. These cooks are here to make some stuff that sticks to your ribs and gives a nice warm feeling to everyone involved, so it's time to see what you can do...it's time for... THE GREAT CHILI COOKOFF! The Great Chili Cookoff is a trick-taking card game where players seek to finish secret recipes by capturing tricks (ingredients) played by other players. The catch is, sometimes players have to take ingredients they don't need which can set off a chain reaction that destroys EVERYONE'S secret recipes!. Features: Rule book 15 Recipe cards 53 Ingredient cards 7 Menus 8 Wooden pepper tokens For 3 – 7 players ages 8 and up.
The Great Chili Cookoff supports 2–7 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 The Great Chili Cookoff is 30 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 The Great Chili Cookoff 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.
The Great Chili Cookoff has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
The Great Chili Cookoff belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are 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 The Great Chili Cookoff are: Dan Baden. 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 The Great Chili Cookoff 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.