Set collection

The original game was invented by Harry E. Gavitt and published in 1903 by Gavitt Publishing and Printing. In that game players deal and trade cards to corner the railway stock market. Be the first to get all the cards of one railway line, call out “Topeka” and you’ll win the hand!

But Pit, the more famous version, adapted by noted psychic Edgar Cayce, was first published by Parker Brothers in 1904 and in many editions since. In this loud, real-time trading game, players are given the task of cornering the market in one type of commodity. There are as many suits as there are players, and all the cards are dealt out at the start of each round. When the trading begins, players offer sets of cards to each other in the hopes of completing a set for themselves. If you're successful, you ring the (optional)bell and yell out, "Corner on wheat!" (or whatever your commodity is). You then score points depending on which it was - some are more valuable than others. Two cards labeled Bull and Bear may be used to add wild/penalty cards to the gameplay.

Most editions support up to 8 players, but at least one allows up to 10.

Printings:

Gavitt Publishing and Printing (1903) (As Gavitt's Stock Exchange)
Parker Brothers (1904-???)
Out of the Box Publishing (2004-Present)
Winning Moves

Microbadges

Commissioned is a 2-6 player cooperative-style board game with a simple deck-building mechanism that plays in 1 hour. Players are the early Christian Apostles and must work together to mature their faith decks, grow the church, collect the books of the New Testament, and overcome persecution. You do not need to know anything about Christianity to play. The game includes five scenarios that cover the first 150 years of church history, two difficulty levels, and a one-vs-all variation.

Return to a bustling Plymouth Harbor in 1572 as an aspiring Elizabethan captain making preparations for three exciting voyages to the Spanish Main in search of fame and fortune! As captains, players will have to plan their missions and provision their ships accordingly.

Francis Drake is a race to see who can set sail and reach the Spanish Main first. The riches of the Aztec and Inca Empires await these swashbuckling captains. Many tough decisions must be made before each voyage:

How many crew members, guns, and trade goods will be needed?
What supplies will be needed to reach deep into the Caribbean?
Will a stronger galleon be needed to attack the treasure fleets?
Can special charts from the Spanish Admiral and Governor help?
Will the Queen or rich investors back the voyage?
What information can the informer give?
Will Drake himself be available to guide the voyage?
Who will get the use of the Golden Hind?

Each new voyage has its own challenges to overcome, but the captured gold, silver, and jewels should greatly please the Queen. Get ready for the voyage of a lifetime!

Game description from the publisher:

Captain Swallow has always dreamed of pocketing a large nest egg in order to retire on a remote island – but he never counted on stiff competition from Captains Stanley Rackum, Dirk Chivers and others, greedy and cruel enemies who always manage to attack the same ships as him. If he wants to finally sink back and enjoy peaceful days in the sun, he must become the most cunning pirate!

In Libertalia, you must thwart the plans of competitive pirates over the course of three rounds while using cards that show the same crew members as your piratical comrades-in-arms. Yes, not only do they attack the same ships, but they employ the same type of ravenous scum that you do! Can you take advantage of the powers of your characters at the right time? Will you be outdone by a pirate smarter than you? Jump into the water and prove your tactical skills!

In the thick of the Viennese modern age, exquisite cafés are competing for customers. Inspiring artists, important politicians, and tourists from all over the world are populating Vienna and in need of a hotel room. This is your opportunity to turn your little café into a world famous hotel. Hire staff, fulfill the wishes of your guests, and gain the emperor's favor. Only then will your café become the Grand Austria Hotel.

The start player rolls the dice, sorting them by the rolled number and placing them on the corresponding action spaces. On a turn, a player chooses one of the six actions and carries it out. The number of the available dice in the corresponding action spaces determines how much the player gets from the action. They then remove one of the dice and can carry out additional actions. With the different actions, a player can get the necessary drinks and dishes, prepare the rooms, or hire staff.

But no hotel can grow without guests. To choose wisely which guests to attract and to complete their orders brings some important bonus actions. The staff cards also have different advantages, but the game ends after seven rounds and no player can do everything they want, so whoever makes the right decisions and finds the best way to create bonus actions will win.

With 116 different cards and a new set-up in each game, Grand Austria Hotel provides a huge replay value. Each game stands on its own and demands new tactics and strategies.