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- BGG #6,250
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- 6.4
Black Spy
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1981
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- BGG #9,020
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Where's Bob's Hat?
1990
Rules assistance for Where's Bob's Hat?
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Where's Bob's Hat?
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Where's Bob's Hat? is a board game released in 1990 for 2–5 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Alan R. Moon and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
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About the game
A form of estimation whist, with three colored suits (cards from 1 to 20), and the possibility of trumps or no-trumps. You have to bid for which suit (or suits) you think you will capture most cards of, or you can bid to capture fewer cards than anyone else. Get it right, you score; get it wrong, you take a penalty. The number of cards per hand increases round by round, and the number of rounds depends on the number of players. From the Box: Where's Bob's Hat? is best with 3 or 4 players. Over several hands, players bid to take the most cards in one or more of the three suits, each a different kind of hat. Players who feel they will take few, if any, tricks may bid to take the fewest cards in tricks played during each hand. Players score points for making their bids and lose points for missing their bids. Several cards picture Bob's Hat in addition to the hat of their suit. When a player wins a trick containing a card with Bob's Hat on it, the player takes the Bob's Hat card (worth plus or minus 10 points). The player with the card at the end of the hand add (or subtracts) 10 points to his score. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner!
Questions and answers
Where's Bob's Hat? supports 2–5 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 Where's Bob's Hat? is 30–45 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 Where's Bob's Hat? 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.
Where's Bob's Hat? 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.
Where's Bob's Hat? 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 Where's Bob's Hat? are: Alan R. Moon. 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 Where's Bob's Hat? 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.