- BGG rank
- BGG #18,238
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Cineplexity
- 4–10 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,481
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Those Pesky Garden Gnomes
2012
Rules assistance for Those Pesky Garden Gnomes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 30 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Those Pesky Garden Gnomes
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Those Pesky Garden Gnomes is a board game released in 2012 for 3–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by JonMichael Rasmus, John Sams, and Sean Weitner and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,166
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Double Feature
- 3–10 players
- 20–35 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #126
- BGG rating
- 8.0
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game
- 1–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #733
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Duel for Cardia
- 2–4 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #852
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Wizard
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1984
- BGG rank
- BGG #877
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Trick-Taking Game
- 1–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,891
- BGG rating
- 7.0
3 Chapters
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,920
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Yokai Septet
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,468
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Shamans
- 3–5 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,746
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Chronicle
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,346
- BGG rating
- 6.5
The Dwarf King
- 3–5 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,565
- BGG rating
- 7.0
3 Witches
- 3 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2025
About the game
Those Pesky Garden Gnomes is a non-partner trick-taking card game with a twist – in fact, possibly many twists! The game uses four suits of different lengths, with cards containing positive and negative point values. While using standard trick-taking rules – with players needing to follow suit and the highest card in the suit taking the trick and giving the lead – each player in Those Pesky Garden Gnomes has a different goal in hand each round – and these change randomly with each new hand. Thus, a player knows only his goal and not those of the other players. A player's score for a hand is based on how close he comes to achieving his goal. The points a player scores are added to his running total, and players in a worse position in later rounds are given more options each round. After a set number of rounds, the player with the lowest score wins!
Mechanics
Publishers
- Rio Grande Games
Questions and answers
Those Pesky Garden Gnomes supports 3–5 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 Those Pesky Garden Gnomes 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 Those Pesky Garden Gnomes for ages 13 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.
Those Pesky Garden Gnomes has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Those Pesky Garden Gnomes belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. 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 Those Pesky Garden Gnomes are: JonMichael Rasmus, John Sams, and Sean Weitner. 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 Those Pesky Garden Gnomes 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.