Portobello Market

Place market stalls only where the Bobby stands, and pay to move him if the lane you want is somewhere else.

Designer: Thomas Odenhoven
Published by: Lautapelit.fi
Editions by: Schmidt Spiele, Playroom Entertainment

London, 1901, morning at the world-famous Portobello Market. The goal is to nab the best spots for your stalls before anyone else does. Place them where they earn the most, cut your rivals off from good alleys, and grab the profitable lanes for yourself. The catch is the Bobby: you can only build where the policeman stands. A little cash can persuade him to stand somewhere more convenient, so money is your steering wheel. The game was prototyped as East India Railway, and was published as Portobello Market by Schmidt. It is a short, tactical area-grab for two to four players, about thirty-five minutes, with a surprisingly sharp edge.

Build only where the Bobby standsPay money to move the policemanStalls in profitable alleys score

Who it's for

You want a quick, abstract-feeling area game with a funny central pawn that everyone fights over.

Not for you if…

You want a deep, long strategy game. It is short and tactical, and the Victorian market is mostly decoration.

Vibe's take

Short, sharp and pointed. Every move is a small tug-of-war around one policeman, and the board closes up quickly as lanes get cut off.