Sun Tzu

Play cards secretly to provinces, reveal them one by one, and outwit your opponent in a duel to unify ancient China.

Designer: Al Newman
Published by: FoxGames
Editions by: Swan Panasia Co., Ltd., Matagot, Jolly Roger Games

In 506 BC, Sun Tzu fooled King Shao into spreading out his army and then crushed it piece by piece. This two-player card game turns that kind of cunning into a duel over China. One of you leads Sun Tzu, the other King Shao, and the goal is to unify the country by deploying armies and forces, not by brute force alone. Each turn you play cards face-down to specific provinces, then reveal them province by province and see who wins each local fight. It is part bluffing, part guessing, and part tug-of-war over regions. The game is also published as Dynasties. About thirty minutes of sharp, simultaneous planning for exactly two players.

Secret, simultaneous card placementReveal and resolve province by provinceAlso published as Dynasties

Who it's for

You and one other person like bluffing duels with a real tug-of-war and want something short that still feels tactical.

Not for you if…

You dislike guessing games or want more than two players. It is a pure duel.

Vibe's take

Sharp, tense and full of bluffing. Every round is a small guessing game about where your opponent will commit, and the province-by-province reveal keeps you leaning forward.