A very fine quick filler of a game, For Sale shouldn't
take you more than an enjoyable 15 minutes to play.
What You Get
For Sale is a cute little card game which has 20 building
cards, 20 check cards, and 15 chips in each of five colors. The building
cards are illustrated in a pleasant cartoony style, showing buildings
ranging in value from $1,000,000 to $20,000,000, with no duplicate
values. The check cards are very bland by comparison: they look like
bank draughts. They range from $0 to $20,000,000, with two $0 values
and no $1,000,000 or $2,000,000.
The Premise
You're all real estate wheelers and dealers. Each player starts with
$15,000,000 (each chip is $1,000,000) and tries to accumulate more.
I'm not sure why, mind you - if I had $15,000,000 I'd be content with
my material wealth, but it's just a game, so go along with it.
The game is in two phases: bidding for real estate, then selling that
real estate. Whoever has the most money (in chips and checks combined)
at the end of the game is the winner.
Shuffle each deck of cards separately, give each player the 15 chips of
a single color, pick a start player, and you're ready to begin.
Bidding for Real Estate
In the first phase, turn face-up as many buildings as there are players
in the game (3, 4, or 5). The start player then bids a certain number
of chits - let's say she opens with "1". The next player can bid the
same amount, a higher amount, or drop out. If he drops out, he takes
the building with the lowest value and pays nothing. Assuming at least
two players are still in the bidding, they keep bidding each other up
until finally all but one player drop out. Those that drop out pay only
half the amount they bid, rounded down. They each take the lowest value
building left when they drop out. The winner takes the highest value
building, but pays all the chips she bid.
Turn another batch of buildings face-up and start another round with
the winner of the previous round bidding first. Repeat this until all
buildings are sold.
Selling Real Estate
In the second phase, you sell the buildings you won in
the first phase for checks. This phase resembles Hols der Geier
in some ways, though not exactly.
The check cards are shuffled, then you turn face-up a number of them
equal to the number of players in the game. Players now choose a
single building to sell, and place it facedown on the table
in front of them. When all have chosen a building, they're revealed.
The highest value building wins the highest check, and so on down to
the lowest check (which may be for $0, remember). There can be no ties,
as each building has a unique number.
Continue each round this way until all the checks are claimed. Total the
value of your checks and of any remaining chips you have left over from
phase 1 and the high score is the winner.
Why Wouldn't You Like This Game?
I can't think of a reason, unless you just don't like short games,
no matter how good they are.
Summing Up
Short, fun, rewards skill - this is the perfect "filler" game while
waiting for your final gamer to show up or while someone runs to
the grocery store. It returns a very high value-for-your-money,
as the game is very inexpensive. Highly recommended!
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