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POWER PLAYS

A card game of color, strategy & political power

2–6 Players

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Overview

Match cards by color or symbol to empty your hand.

Cards represent the people and interests you're indebted to — the more you hold, the more obligations weigh you down.

Use action cards, counter moves to earn Lobby Cards, and race to empty your hand.

Goal: Two winners — Power winner (first to empty hand) and Plays winner (most lobby cards).

Setup

  1. Shuffle the main deck
  2. Deal 7 cards to each player
  3. Place remaining cards as the Draw Pile
  4. Flip top card to start the Play Pile
  5. Each player draws 1 secret Lobbying Card
BILL Legislative-focused
COURT CASE Judicial-focused

On Your Turn

1. Play a Card

Match the top card by:

  • Color, OR
  • Symbol

Action cards resolve immediately.

2. Draw

Can't play? Draw one card.

  • If playable, you may play it
  • Otherwise, turn ends

Action Cards

Vote State the color; all players vote with their highest number card in that color. The winner earns a lobby card.
Veto Skip the next player's turn
Motion Reverse play direction
Inflation Next player draws 2
Gratuities Give 1 card from your hand to any player

Countering

Play the same action type to cancel that action on you and earn lobby cards:

Veto Any Veto (+1), or yellow Executive Veto (+2)
Motion Any Motion (+1), or blue Legislative Motion (+2)
Inflation Any Inflation (+1), or green Fed Reserve Inflation (+2)
Gratuities Any Gratuities (+1), or red Judicial Gratuities (+2)

Vote Card

  1. State the color
  2. All players vote with their highest number card in that color
  3. Highest number wins (actions = 0)
  4. Reveal votes simultaneously
Winner earns a Lobby Card.
Tie? Player with fewer cards wins. Still tied? No one wins.

Lobby Cards

Uses your whole turn. Changes the active color + a bonus:

Bill Draw 1 yourself OR force an opponent to draw 1
Court Case Choose a player to skip their turn + ban all Vote cards for one round

Earning Lobby Cards

You earn a Lobby Card when you:

  • 🛡️ Counter an action card
  • 🗳️ Win a vote
  • 🎁 Play Gratuities with a duplicate card
Lobby Cards represent your accumulated influence and persist across rounds.

Winning the Game

The game ends when a player plays their final card.

Power Winner The first player to play all their cards
Plays Winner The player with the most lobby cards when the power winner is reached
This can be the same person!

What This Teaches

  • Collective vs individual power
  • Timing matters
  • Influence can be built and spent
  • Rules can be shaped, not just followed
  • Quiet strategy beats loud moves

Now you're ready to play!

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