for Sale Card Game, 96 months to 9600 months

For Sale is a fun filler game that can be played in under 20 minutes and learned very quickly by new players. The game consists of coins valued at $1000 or $2000 each, 30 properties ranked from 1 to 30 (higher is better), and checks worth $0 to $15000 (2 of each in $1000 increments, but no $1000 check). The box and the cards, and coins are will constructed and the box insert fits all of the components very well. The property cards are visually humorous. The lowest-ranked 1 card is a manhole cover, the higher ranked cards are mansions, castles, etc. and finally 30 card is a space station.The game is broken up in to two auction rounds. In the first round the players are given coins for buying properties. The way the auction system works, a number or properties equal to the number of players are turned face-up (ie 4 players = 4 properties). Players can then place a bid higher than the last bid, or pass. When a player passes, they get to take back half of their bid (rounding down) and the lowest ranked property on the board. Once all of the players have passed, the highest bidding player pays their full bid and is left with the highest valued property. Sets of properties are bid on until they are all gone.In the second round of bidding, the player are selling their properties for checks. As in the first round, a number of checks equal to the number of players is turned face-up. Instead of bidding with coins, the players a bid by placing the property they are selling face-down. Once all players have chosen a property to sell, the property cards are turned face-up. The highest ranked property gets the highest valued check, and so on down the line. The property sales continue to all the properties have been sold. The winner is the player with the most money in checks and coins left over from the auction round.At first glance, this game seems like it is very prone to random chance, but there is actually a bit of strategy involved in knowing your opponents and what they are likely to do. You may be faced with a situation where all low-ranked properties are on the board -- do you just pass to take the lowest ranked one, or do you bid to get a slightly better one and potentially overpay? Likewise, when all high-ranked properties come up, will everyone pass so you can get something really good cheap, or will you end up in a bidding war when you could have had a slightly worse, but still good card for free? The same sort of dynamics can show up in the selling round. If all high-money checks come up, you may be able to sell your low ranked property for $12000. You could also get stuck selling a high-ranked card and getting a small check for it.In conclusion, this is fun, quick (10 to 20 minute) game. On the surface, it looks like it is all luck, but a lot of your decisions will be based on what you think your opponents will do, and how you can maximize you value.

The problem with a lot of games is that the set-up and breakdown makes you avoid playing. The duration of the game is also a drawback. This sets up quickly, plays quickly, and no one knows who's ahead or behind until the final count. Simple to play and it only needs 10 or 15 minutes.

For Sale is definitely one of the simplest games I've ever played. Here's the rules:There are two rounds. In the first round, all players start with the same amount of money. Cards representing properties, numbered one through thirty, are shuffled and dealt in groups equal to the number of players. Players then bid to see who gets the highest card; as soon as you drop out of the bidding, you get half your bid back and take the lowest card. The winner gets the highest card and pays full price.In the second round, players rely on the hand of property cards they built in the last round. This time, a shuffled deck is composed of checks, values from zero to 15 (two of each) is used. Cards are again dealt in groups equal to the number of players. Each time a set is dealt out, players simultaneously play a property card, and are awarded checks in order of highest check to highest value played, and so on.Once all the checks have been played, each player adds the value of his or her checks to any remaining money from round one. Richest player wins.That's it. Like I said, it couldn't be much simpler. The strategy, however, is far more complex than the rules. Players have to manage their resources and get inside each others' heads. There's luck from the card shuffling, but it isn't the kind of luck that randomly favors one player over another.For Sale is just about perfect. Simple, cheap, small and deep. You can play it with all ages, and the theme isn't going to turn anyone off like dragons and cyborgs tend to do. The card art is fairly basic but pleasing to the eye. I really don't have any complaints. It's the kind of game where the rules are so simple and elegant that you can't believe you didn't come up with it yourself.

This is a really fun game. The ease of learning it makes it better because even impatient people can stick around for the directions. The game involves a little betting as well a chance which makes it exciting.