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The Rose King
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The Very Clever Pipe Game
1996
Rules assistance for The Very Clever Pipe Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Very Clever Pipe Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Very Clever Pipe Game is a board game released in 1996 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by James Ernest and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Tile Placement.
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About the game
The game consists of a set of cards. The cards have white and black pipes in various six-outlet configurations, and players take turns placing them onto the table. When a player constructs a completely closed-off section of pipe in their color, he takes all the cards from that section. After all cards have been played, the player with the most scored cards wins. Additionally, the cards also have two different floors (which appear underneath the pipes) that can be used to expand the game to a four-player affair. The game was re-released in 2002 with a reduced deck (48 cards instead of 120) as part of the Hip Pocket Games series.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Cheapass Games
Questions and answers
The Very Clever Pipe Game 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 The Very Clever Pipe Game 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 The Very Clever Pipe Game 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.
The Very Clever Pipe Game has a complexity rating of 1.6 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 Very Clever Pipe Game belongs to these categories: Card Game and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Tile Placement. 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 Very Clever Pipe Game are: James Ernest. 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 Very Clever Pipe Game 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.