The Blood of an Englishman

Jack builds beanstalks to steal the treasure while the Giant rearranges the cards to catch him, a fairy-tale duel.

Designer: Dan Cassar
Published by: Renegade Game Studios

Jack has the harp, the goose and the bag of gold within reach, and a very large, very hungry giant is coming down the beanstalk behind him. The Blood of an Englishman is a two-player card game based on the fairy tale, and the two sides play completely differently. The Giant shifts and rearranges the Fee, Fi, Fo and Fum cards to close in. Jack tries to lay out cards so that three beanstalks form, one for each treasure he wants to steal. Both of you have your own set of actions, and both are fighting over the same arrangement of cards. About thirty minutes, one cheeky thief against one furious giant.

Asymmetric roles: Jack against the GiantThree beanstalks to build, three treasures to stealFee, Fi, Fo and Fum cards drive the chase

Who it's for

You want a compact two-player game with different roles on each side, and you like fairy-tale themes with a puzzle at the center.

Not for you if…

You play with more than two, or you prefer games with a lot of luck and surprise. This is a head-on arrangement duel.

Vibe's take

Two sides pulling on the same layout from opposite directions. Each placement opens something for one player and closes something for the other, so it feels like a small chase.