How to Play

Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition

2-5 players 20-40 min 7.5 Board Game Geek Rating

This quantum trick-taking game lets 2-5 players declare card colors when playing them, not before. Bid on tricks you'll win, then place tokens on a shared research board while playing cards. Connecting token groups earns bonus points. Avoid paradoxes by never declaring the same color-number combination twice—doing so ends the game catastrophically!

Published 2022

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Select cards for player count

At 2/3/4/5 players use cards numbered 1 to 5/6/8/9 respectively

Distribute player components

Each player takes their player tokens and player board

Configure player board

Set the player board to the side matching the player count and place a player token on the X of each suit

Prepare research board

Insert cards depending on player count

Place observed tokens

At 4 players place Observed Tokens on all '9' spaces; at 2 players on all '6' spaces

Determine start player

The last player to pet a cat takes the Round Start Player Card

Deal cards

Deal 10 cards to 2-4 players or 9 cards to 5 players

Discard one card

Each player discards 1 card face-down from their hand

Place bids

Beginning with 1st player and proceeding clockwise, each player places a token on their board to bid on tricks they will win

2-player special setup

Deal 10 cards each, deal 5 cards to the table, reveal 3, placing an unused player token on the green row for each value; duplicates go to yellow then blue tracks

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Lead the trick

The 1st player plays a card; each other player follows in clockwise order playing 1 card

Declare suit

When playing a card, announce what suit the card is

Place card and marker

Put the card next to your player board adjacent to the matching color, and place a player marker on the research board space matching that suit and card value

Check space availability

The research board space matching the card's value and declared suit must be empty

Verify suit token

On your player board, the declared suit must still have a token on it

Lead player trump restriction

Cannot declare Red (Trump) unless there is a token in the red row, but may lead Red if no other suit is possible

Follower suit rules

May follow with any card and suit satisfying restrictions, but if not following lead suit, remove that suit's token from your player board

Avoid duplicate plays

You cannot play a card of the same suit and value as one played before

Trigger paradox

If you cannot legally play any card, reveal your hand and declare a Paradox; the trick and hand end immediately with no winner