Claim
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The King is dead, face down in a wine barrel. No one knows what happened. And now five factions decide who sits on the throne: you or your opponent.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
A duel for the throne in two rounds and five factions
Scott Almes (Tiny Epic, Harbour) took classic trick-taking and bent it in two: first you recruit followers by playing a trick-taking phase, then you use exactly those followers to convince the five factions of the kingdom to vote for you. Published by White Goblin Games in 2017, Claim arrived in Italy with MS Edizioni and gave rise to a family of standalones and spin-offs.
You play cards against your opponent trying to win the right tricks: in phase one you build the deck for phase two, where those same cards become your weapons to conquer Goblins, Dwarves, Knights, Mermaids, and Wizards. Win three out of five factions and the throne is yours. Two games in 25 minutes, no card placed at random.
What they say abroad
"It's a very clever two-phase structure that turns every card you play into a decision with consequences two rounds down the line."
It's a very clever two-phase structure that turns every card you play into a decision with consequences two rounds down the line.
— Meeple Mountain
The first game gives you the impression of playing briscola. The third game you understand that every card played in phase one will change your hand in phase two. And at that point, the war restarts.
— FroGames
Claim
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsThe five factions
Who really commands in the kingdom
Goblins
The weakest followers (value 1-5) but the most numerous. Controlling Goblins means having volume: useful for winning discardable tricks or for dictating the suit.
Dwarves
Medium-high values and power that overturns the rules of trick-taking at key moments. When a Dwarf enters play, the opponent's certainties crumble.
Knights
Brute force and high values. They win tricks when needed, but they are few: wasting a Knight in phase one means losing them in the decisive phase.
Mermaids
Allow drawing extra cards or manipulating the hand. In a game where every card counts double (phase one AND phase two), Mermaids are pure leverage.
Recommended Sleeves 222 cards in 3 sizes ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with transparent sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 56 × 87 mm | 114 |
| 59 × 92 mm | 54 |
| 63 × 88 mm | 54 |
| Total cards | 222 |
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Claim is distinctly divided into two phases. In the first, you build your deck, and in the second, you use it to conquer the throne.
Draw 13 cards. The current leader plays a face-down card, the opponent responds (same suit if possible, otherwise any card). The higher value wins the trick: the winner takes the top card from the follower deck, the loser takes the card played by the opponent. Both go into their respective phase two decks.
Each faction has a power that activates when played or won: Dwarves reverse who wins the trick, Merfolk draw extra cards, Mages copy the suit of another card. These powers radically change which card is best to play.
Shuffle the cards won in phase one: this is your new deck. Draw 5 cards. Play as in phase one (classic trick-taking), but now each won card is worth points for its faction. Whoever controls the majority of a faction (e.g., more Goblins than the opponent) wins that faction's vote.
Win three out of five factions, and the throne is yours. In case of a tie on a faction (same number of followers), that faction does not vote for anyone: a clear majority is needed. Game over, reshuffle, best of three.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Hidden hands, first moves
Draw 13 cards. Look at your hand, count how many Goblins you have, how many Knights, if there are any Mages. Your opponent plays a face-down card. You respond. The first trick determines who sets the pace for phase one.
Build the deck for later
Each trick you win goes into your phase two deck. Each trick you lose goes to your opponent. You realize you're playing for 10 minutes from now: that card you discard now will be missing later, that Knight you let go, you'll find him against you.
Phase two: it gets serious
Shuffle the followers you won, draw your new hand. Now you know exactly which cards you have and which are missing. The game becomes pure calculation: you need to win three out of five factions, and every lost trick gives faction points to your opponent.
The last card of the decisive faction
You are 2-2 on factions. The Knights are on the line: whoever wins the majority wins the throne. You play your last remaining Knight. Your opponent covers it. You turn over the cards. One of you has won the kingdom, the other has lost everything in 25 minutes.
Best of three
Shuffle again. No one leaves the table after just one game: Claim is always played best of three. In the second round, you already know where you went wrong and which factions you underestimated. The third is pure revenge.
🐸What to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
What to know beforehand
Three things you need to know
The initial draw can break you
If in phase one you draw 10 Goblins and three Merfolk, you will build a weak deck for phase two. The luck of the distribution matters, especially in the first few games when you haven't yet learned to mitigate bad hands by sacrificing the right tricks.
Memory and card counting pay off
In phase two, you know which cards YOU HAVE (those won in phase one), but remembering which cards your opponent won gives you a huge advantage. It's not mandatory, but if you count cards, you're playing a different game.
Does not scale: it's only for two
Claim is designed, balanced, and only works for two players. If you're looking for a trick-taking game for 3-4-5, you need to look elsewhere (The Crew, Skull King). Here, direct dueling is in the DNA of the design.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win
The player who secures the vote of at least three out of five factions at the end of phase two wins.
Victory
- You control the majority (more followers than your opponent) in at least three factions
- In case of a tie on a faction, that faction does not vote: a clear majority is needed
- If you end up 2-2 with a tied faction, no one wins: you go to a decider
Defeat
- Your opponent wins three factions before you do
- You built an unbalanced deck in phase one and don't have enough strong cards to win the decisive majorities
- You wasted Knights or Mages on the wrong tricks and no longer have leverage in the final phase
Claim is pure trick-taking without frills: 52 cards, two phases, one winner. If you're looking for a 25-minute tactical duel that rewards planning and memory, this is the game.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Claim
What mechanics does Claim use?
Two-phase trick-taking, auctions (broadly: each trick is a micro-card auction), majorities (area majority across the five factions), hand management. The two-phase structure is key: in the first, you build the deck, in the second, you use it to win control of the factions.
Is it suitable for those who have never played trick-taking?
Yes, if you know how to play briscola or any trick-taking game, you already have 80% of the rules. The new part is understanding that every card you win in phase one becomes part of your deck in phase two: this takes one game to click, but then it's immediate.
How much does luck matter?
The initial draw can give you a terrible hand (too many low cards, too unbalanced towards one faction), but an experienced player knows which tricks to deliberately lose to balance the deck. Luck exists, but after 3-4 games, you understand how to mitigate it. And it's played best of three precisely for this reason.
Are there expansions or standalones?
Yes: Claim 2 (standalone with five new factions), Claim Pocket (compact version with slightly different rules), and Claim Kingdoms (standalone for 2-5 players with a board and expanded mechanics). They are all compatible or playable on their own.
Is the Italian edition complete?
Yes. The MS Edizioni edition includes all 52 cards, the rules translated into Italian, and reference cards for the powers of the five factions. The text on the cards is minimal (numerical values and faction symbols), so language is never an issue during gameplay.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who published it — and what else they've done.
Claim is a competitive card game for 2 players designed by Scott Almes, lasting 25 minutes, recommended age 10+. It uses two-phase trick-taking and majority mechanics to simulate a struggle for the throne between five fantasy factions (Goblins, Dwarves, Knights, Merfolk, Mages). The two-phase structure distinguishes Claim from classic trick-taking games: in phase one, you recruit followers by winning tricks, in phase two, you use those same followers to win the factions' votes. Published in Italy by MS Edizioni, completely in Italian. Available on FroGames.it with immediate shipping.
Claim
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
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