Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
9 Lives is a trick-taking game where players compete to earn the most points. The game uses 3-4 suits which show the color of the cards on the rear.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
9 Lives is a trick-taking game where players compete to earn the most points. The game uses 3-4 suits which show the color of the cards on the rear. Players make bids of if they will win 1-6 tricks, and can bid exactly or a range. Each number may only be bid up to two times. Points are earned when a player hits their bid and lost if they miss it. The game is "must follow" with a fixed trump suit. The winner of a trick also takes one of the cards played to the trick other than theirs to place in their hand. The game ends after either 4 rounds or a player has earned 9 points, and the player with the most points wins.