Scout

Scout is a clever, award-nominated card game by Kei Kajino (published by Oink Games) where players act as circus managers recruiting the best performers to build the most spectacular show. The game was nominated for the Spiel des Jahres 2022 (Game of the Year), recognized for its elegant and strategic gameplay despite its small size.

It’s a fast-paced combination of set collection and ladder-climbing mechanics with a unique twist: you can’t reorder the cards in your hand! Instead, you must cleverly choose when to “scout” new talent (cards) or play your best performance.

How to Play (Briefly):

1. Deal Cards: Each player gets a hand of numbered cards that must stay in order — you can’t rearrange them!

2. On Your Turn: You can either:

   • Play a set or sequence of cards that beats the previous play (like in games such as The Mind or Tichu), or

   • Scout one card from the table to add to your hand (to improve future plays).

3. Playing Sets: The goal is to play better combinations (higher numbers or longer sequences) than the previous player.

4. Scouting: If you can’t or don’t want to play, you may pick up one card from a previously played set and insert it anywhere in your hand.

5. End of Round: When a player runs out of cards, the round ends. Points are earned for cards you’ve played and penalties for cards left in your hand.

6. Win the Game: The player with the most total points after several rounds wins