Potemkin Villages
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Someone builds, someone paints, someone commands. And in the end, if Catherine is still smiling, you've all won together.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A historical deception to build card by card
Designed by Petr Čáslava with illustrations by Ekaterina Bystroň, Potemkin Villages reconstructs one of the most controversial episodes in Russian history: Catherine the Great's journey to Crimea in 1787. Governor Potemkin allegedly erected façade villages along the Dnieper river to hide the poverty of the territory. Here each player is one of his collaborators, called to create that collective illusion. The game won second place for Best Artwork and third place for both Best Cooperative and Best Overall Game in the 2025 54-Card Game Design Contest.
At the table you play cards to win tricks, but the goal is not individual: each trick activates your character's unique ability (Governor, Builder, Painter, and so on), allowing you to dismantle villages, move them, rebuild them along the river. If at the end of all hands Catherine still sees a landscape that satisfies her, you win. If she discovers the deception, you all lose. Cooperation is mandatory: the Governor can amplify the strength of the Builder, the Painter can change the trump suit to help an allied player in difficulty.
What they say abroad
A cooperative game where every trick is a piece of the collective illusion. If the table works, Catherine never discovers the truth.
— FroGames
The most thematic trick-taking game we've played this year. Every character matters, every card has weight.
— FroGames
Potemkin Villages
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsThe characters of the illusion
Four asymmetrical roles
The Governor
Can amplify the strength of allies' cards. When he wins a trick, the table gains tactical leeway.
The Builder
Dismantles and rebuilds villages. His trick allows entire settlements to be moved along the Dnieper River.
The Painter
Changes the trump suit mid-round. A devastating situational power if used at the right moment.
Other characters
Each character has a unique ability that activates by winning tricks. The setup changes every game.
In a few hands, you will have built a perfect illusion. Or Catherine will have discovered everything. In the latter case, play again immediately.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The first hand
You look at the cards, you look at each other, you start talking. Who has the right suit? Who can win this trick? The Painter can change the trump suit if needed, but it's too early to use it.
The first illusion
The Builder wins the trick and moves a village. Catherine advances along the river. The landscape changes, but for now, the illusion holds. Someone smiles, someone counts the remaining cards.
The critical moment
Mid-game. Good cards are gone, Catherine is almost there, and someone has a terrible hand. The table discusses: sacrifice a trick or risk everything on an ability? The tension rises.
The perfect combo
The Governor amplifies the Builder, the Painter changes trump at the last minute. Three abilities interlock in one decisive round. It works. The table erupts. Catherine sees nothing.
The last card
Catherine reaches the end of the journey. Look at the landscape you've built. If the illusion is still intact, you've won. Otherwise, start again immediately. It always happens.
How to play
The flow of each round
Each round is a sequence of tricks, each trick activates an ability. The pace is fast, cooperation is mandatory.
Each player receives a variable number of cards based on the setup. They are not revealed, but you can talk openly.
One card is played per person, following suit if possible. The player who wins the trick activates their character's ability.
The Governor amplifies, the Builder moves villages, the Painter changes the trump suit. Each ability modifies the state of the Dnieper River.
After each trick, Catherine gets closer. If the illusion holds at the end of the round, the game continues. Otherwise, you all lose.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Cooperative trick-taking
You don't play to win yourself, but to activate the right abilities at the right time. Every trick is a team choice, not an individual competition. Trick-taking becomes a shared tactical language.
Asymmetric powers
Each character has a unique ability that activates by winning tricks. The Governor amplifies, the Builder moves, the Painter changes the trump suit. The synergy between abilities is the heart of the game.
Variable landscape
Villages along the Dnieper are dismantled, moved, and rebuilt. It's not a fixed board: it's a collaborative puzzle that changes every round. Catherine only sees what you build.
Integrated theme
It's not abstract trick-taking with a tacked-on theme. Every mechanic reflects the historical illusion: building facades, hiding the truth, coordinating the deception. It works narratively.
Compact speed
A game lasts 15-30 minutes. Rules in 5 minutes, immediate first game. If you lose (and you will), replay immediately. The loop is very short, the tension always high.
54 thematic cards
Illustrations by Ekaterina Bystroň, second place for Best Artwork in the 2025 54-Card Game Design Contest. Each card visually tells a piece of the Russian landscape. It's not just functional, it's beautiful to look at.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Victory is collective, so is defeat. Catherine judges the final illusion, not the single round.
Victory
- Catherine completes the journey and the illusion along the Dnieper is still intact
- All villages are correctly positioned, the landscape convinces the Empress
- The table has coordinated abilities well enough to hide the real poverty
Defeat
- Catherine discovers that the villages are empty facades before the end of the journey
- The built landscape does not withstand final inspection: too many gaps, too many inconsistencies
- You ran out of cards before completing the necessary illusion
Potemkin Villages is the fastest and most thematic cooperative game you'll play this year. Every trick counts, every ability is a collective choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Potemkin Villages
Is it difficult to learn if I don't know trick-taking?
No. The basic rules of trick-taking (follow suit, trump, highest card wins trick) can be explained in 3 minutes. Character abilities are written on the cards. The first game is immediately smooth, even if you've never played Hearts or Briscola.
Does it play well with 2 players?
Yes. The game is designed for 2-4 and scales naturally. With 2 players, each player controls multiple characters, which increases tactical complexity but maintains a fast pace. It's not an adapted mode, it's full.
How important is luck of the draw?
It counts, but less than in competitive trick-taking. A bad hand is compensated by cooperation: other players can sacrifice tricks to activate you, the Painter can change trumps to save you. Luck exists, but the table has tools to mitigate it.
Can it be played with casual players?
It depends. If they agree to speak openly and reason together, yes. If they want to play in silence or compete, no. Potemkin Villages is pure cooperative: constant communication is needed. It's not a game for phones in hand.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English, published by Albi. The text on the cards is minimal (character names and short abilities), but it is necessary to understand English to play unambiguously. There is currently no official Italian edition.
Potemkin Villages is a cooperative trick-taking game for 2-4 players, lasting 15-30 minutes, recommended age 12+. Designed by Petr Čáslava with illustrations by Ekaterina Bystroň, the game recreates Catherine the Great's journey to Crimea in 1787, where each player takes on the role of a collaborator of Governor Potemkin with unique abilities. The central mechanic is cooperative trick-taking with variable powers: winning tricks activates abilities that allow players to dismantle, move, and rebuild facade villages along the Dnieper River. Published by Albi, Potemkin Villages won second place for Best Artwork and third place for Best Cooperative Game in the 2025 54-Card Game Design Contest. Available on FroGames.it.
Potemkin Villages
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
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