Take the Throne is a fast, tactical card game of bluffing, deduction and second-guessing, where rival houses battle to seize the throne and build a lasting legacy.

Every round, one player becomes the Monarch, holding the throne and access to a powerful set of cards. Everyone else plays as a rival House, trying to work out what the Monarch will do—and which card they need to play to take the throne for themselves.

The catch?

Everyone knows what cards their opponents could play.

That means the key to victory isn't simply choosing your strongest card. You need to think about what your opponents are thinking, predict their choices and decide when to attack, defend or take a risk.

Each player simultaneously chooses a card and places it face down. Everyone then reveals their cards and resolves their effects, with the resulting actions determining who controls the throne.

The Monarch wants to hold onto power.

The rival Houses want to take it away.

And because the cards interact with one another, the seemingly obvious move isn't always the best one.

The first player to reach 8 Victory Points while holding the throne wins the game.

With games taking around 15 minutes, Take the Throne is an excellent choice for players who enjoy quick, interactive games where every decision matters.

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Why You'll Love It

• A fast-paced tactical card game for 2–5 players.
• Games take around 15 minutes.
• Easy to get to the table without a huge rules explanation.
• Every player has meaningful decisions to make.
• Simultaneous card selection keeps everyone involved.
• Constantly second-guess your opponents.
• Players compete to seize and hold the throne.
• Combines tactics, bluffing and deduction.
• The rival Houses have identical card options, making prediction especially important.
• The Monarch has a different role from the other players.
• Cards interact with one another to create unexpected outcomes.
• Plenty of player interaction in a compact game.
• Great for game nights, holidays and quick rematches.
• Designed by Cornish game developer Deathtrap Games.
• A great choice for fans of tactical card games and "mind games".

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How to Play

In Take the Throne, players compete to become the Monarch and score enough Victory Points to win.

The game is played over a series of rounds, with each round following four main stages:

1. Choose Your Card

Every player simultaneously chooses one card from their hand and places it face down.

This is where the mind games begin.

You know the cards available to your opponents, but you don't know which one they are about to play.

Do you choose the card that seems strongest?

Or do you anticipate what everyone else is likely to choose and play something that counters it?

2. Reveal the Cards

Everyone reveals their chosen card.

The cards are then resolved according to their effects.

Because the cards interact with one another, the order and combination of cards played can have a major impact on the outcome.

3. Resolve the Round

The players determine who takes—or retains—the throne.

The player holding the throne becomes the Monarch, while the other players continue as rival Houses attempting to overthrow them.

Holding the throne is the best way to earn Victory Points, so becoming Monarch immediately makes you the target.

4. Prepare for the Next Round

If the throne changes hands, the relevant players change hands of cards and the next round begins.

The cycle continues until someone reaches the required number of Victory Points.

According to Deathtrap Games, the game ends when a player reaches 8 Victory Points and is on the throne.

The result is a surprisingly deep game in a very small package.

Because the House players have access to the same cards, you can't simply rely on having a better hand than everyone else. Instead, you have to read the table, predict your opponents and choose the right moment to strike.

One particularly interesting example is the Charge card. It can be an excellent way to take the throne—but if two or more House players choose Charge, they all lose the opportunity because the cards are discarded.

That creates exactly the sort of delicious dilemma that makes Take the Throne so replayable:

Do you make the obvious move—or do you try to predict what everyone else thinks the obvious move is?

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Who Is This Game For?

Take the Throne is a great choice for:

• Players who enjoy quick tactical card games.
• Fans of bluffing and deduction.
• People who enjoy trying to read their opponents.
• Groups of 2–5 players.
• Players looking for a game that fits into 15 minutes.
• Fans of interactive card games.
• Players who enjoy "take that" mechanics.
• Gamers who like games with simple rules but meaningful decisions.
• People looking for a compact travel game.
• Players who enjoy games where everyone has similar information.
• Fans of competitive rather than cooperative games.
• Anyone who likes a little table politics and mind games.

It's particularly good for groups who enjoy talking, predicting and second-guessing one another while playing.

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Why Buy From Roll The Dice?

At Roll The Dice, we love supporting games that come from independent designers and publishers.

Take the Throne is particularly special for us because it's a game from Cornish game developer Deathtrap Games—making it a fantastic choice for anyone who enjoys supporting independent UK tabletop game creators.

It's also a great example of a game that doesn't need a huge box or hundreds of components to create an engaging experience.

The rules are accessible, the games are short and the central idea is immediately appealing:

Take the throne before someone else takes it from you.

Because a game can be played in around 15 minutes, it's easy to fit into a game night alongside larger games—or simply play several rounds back-to-back.

Every order is packed with care by fellow board gamers, with fast UK dispatch and friendly customer service.

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Game Information

Deathtrap Games describes Take the Throne as a fast-paced tactical card game, while UK Games Expo lists it for 2–5 players, 10+, with gameplay around 15 minutes.

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What's Included?

The current Deathtrap Games listing includes:

• 48 cards
  • 8 Monarch cards
  • 38 House cards
  • 2 player reference cards
• 44 Victory Point tokens
• 1 Monarch token
• Rulebook

These component details are taken from the current Deathtrap Games product listing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Take the Throne?

Take the Throne is a fast tactical card game from Deathtrap Games where rival Houses compete to take and hold the throne while earning Victory Points.

How many people can play Take the Throne?

The current edition supports 2–5 players.

How long does Take the Throne take to play?

A game takes approximately 15 minutes, making it a great choice for a quick game or several rounds in one sitting.

What age is Take the Throne suitable for?

UK Games Expo currently lists the game as 10+.

Is Take the Throne a strategy game?

Yes. It's a light tactical strategy card game where players need to predict what their opponents will do and select cards accordingly.

Is Take the Throne a bluffing game?

Bluffing and deduction are important elements. Because players simultaneously choose cards and the House players have access to the same cards, success often comes down to anticipating what your opponents are likely to play.

How do you win Take the Throne?

Players race to 8 Victory Points, with the important condition that the winning player must also be holding the throne.

What is the Monarch in Take the Throne?

The Monarch is the player currently holding the throne. The Monarch has access to a powerful set of cards and must try to defend their position against the rival Houses.

Can the Monarch lose the throne?

Yes. The rival Houses are constantly trying to play the right cards to overthrow the Monarch and take control of the throne.

Do all players have the same cards?

The House players have access to the same cards, which is an important part of the game's strategic challenge. Players therefore need to think about what their opponents are likely to choose.

Is Take the Throne good for two players?

The current edition supports 2–5 players, although the game naturally changes as the number of rival Houses increases.

Is Take the Throne good for families?

The game is recommended for age 10+, and its short playing time makes it accessible for family game nights where older children and adults enjoy competitive card games.

Is Take the Throne good for a game night?

Definitely. Its approximately 15-minute playing time makes it particularly useful as a filler game, opener, closer or quick rematch between longer games.

Is Take the Throne a Cornish game?

Yes. Deathtrap Games is a Cornish game developer, and Take the Throne is its first game.

What games are similar to Take the Throne?

If you enjoy Take the Throne, you may also enjoy Love Letter, Coup, Skull, 6 Nimmt!, No Thanks! and other quick games involving deduction, bluffing and reading your opponents.

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You May Also Enjoy

If you enjoy Take the Throne, you may also like:

• Love Letter – A compact deduction game where players use a small hand of cards to eliminate opponents and protect their own position.
• Coup – A quick bluffing game where you try to manipulate your opponents while claiming powerful characters.
• Skull – A beautifully simple bluffing game where knowing when to push your luck is everything.
• 6 Nimmt! – A fast and unpredictable card game where trying to outthink the other players can have painful consequences.
• No Thanks! – A tiny, clever card game about deciding when to take a card and when to pay to avoid it.

Looking for more quick games? Explore our Card Games, Quick Games, Two Player Games, Party Games and Small Box Games collections to discover your next game-night favourite.