- BGG rank
- BGG #4,543
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Merchants
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,475
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Wheedle
2002
Rules assistance for Wheedle
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–6 players
- 30 min
- 9+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 4 players
Rules assistant for Wheedle
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Wheedle is a board game released in 2002 for 4–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 9 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Investment.
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About the game
Wheedle 1. To persuade or attempt to persuade by flattery or guile. 2. The game of stock taking and deal making. "WHEEDLE® is the freewheeling stock trading game where 4-6 players jockey for corporate control. In a flurry of no-holds-barred trading, only the craftiest players will survive. . . Break out WHEEDLE and rise to the top!" This game is Reiner Knizia's take on Pit. It consists of simultaneous trading of various stocks, trying to get a majority. Gameplay: A card is placed facedown in the center, and the remainder of the deck is dealt out. When the central card is flipped over, players begin calling out what they're collecting or wanting to trade away: "Anyone have N Securities?" (or, more, likely, "I've got yellow, who wants yellow?") You can trade with anyone, any number of cards, including unequal trades. You may also swap one of your cards with the central card. When a player obtains a majority of all the stock types they have in their hand (for example, 4 of the 7 green cards and 3 of the 5 blue cards), play stops and the round is scored. Scoring: The player who stops the play gets +5 (or -5 if they don't have a majority after all). You get +2 for each stock card if you have a monopoly of that stock, and +1 per card if you have a majority but not all of them. Warning: You get -1 for each card in your hand that matches whichever stock is the central (bankrupt) card when the round ends. You get 0 points for any card that is not part of either a majority or the bankrupt company. After each player has dealt once, the game is over and whoever has the most points wins.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Parker Spiele
- Out of the Box Publishing
- Nasza Księgarnia
Questions and answers
Wheedle supports 4–6 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 Wheedle 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 Wheedle for ages 9 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.
Wheedle 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.
Wheedle belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Investment. 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 Wheedle are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Wheedle 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.