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Odin
Play cards of one number or one colour as a higher value than the table set, then take one card from the previous set into your hand. Emptying your hand ends the hand; after someone reaches 15 penalty points, the lowest cumulative score wins.
Rules
Climb by combining cards of one number or one colour into a higher value, take one card back from the previous set, and empty your hand with the lowest score.
Identify the edition and components
The official set has one card numbered 1–9 in each of six colours, for 54 cards. Numbers and colours carry all game information, so no reading is needed during play.
What the owner's photos establish
The owner's English/Chinese box bears barcode 5263256314719 and no publisher mark. Its art, contents, and English rules match the official HELVETIQ edition (EAN 7640139533388), but the photos do not establish that it is the same publishing edition.
Setup and objective
- 1Shuffle all 54 cards and deal nine face down to each player. You may look at your own hand but keep it hidden.
- 2Choose a first player at random. Turns proceed clockwise.
- 3Record penalties over several hands. Empty your hand, then finish the game with the lowest cumulative score.
Recommended two-player variant
HELVETIQ recommends removing two complete colours with two players for a quicker, more intense game. This is optional.
Legal combinations
- Your cards do not need to match the number or colour of the set on the table. The matching restriction applies only within your new play.
- For a multi-card play, arrange its digits to make the largest possible number. A same-colour 2 and 8 are worth 82; 2, 4, and 9 are worth 942.
- Your value must be higher, and your card count must be either the same as the table set or exactly one more.
Small digits can combine into a large value
Against a single 8, two 3s make 33 and are legal: 33 is higher and two cards are exactly one more than the single-card set. Against two cards, however, you cannot drop to a single 9.
Your turn — play or pass
- 1The player who starts a new round normally plays exactly one card to the centre.
- 2On your turn, make one legal play or pass. Passing does not remove you; you may play normally on your next turn.
- 3After playing, take exactly one card from the previous table set into your hand. If it held several cards, choose one and discard the rest.
- 4You may never pick up one of the cards you just played.
Do not pick up after emptying your hand
If your play leaves your hand empty, the hand ends immediately and you do not take a card from the previous set.
Ending a round or hand
- When everyone but one player passes, end the round. Discard the centre and let the last player to play open a new round with one card.
- That player may not keep playing on their own previous set. Clear the table first and start a new round.
- Exception: when opening a new round, if every card in your hand shares one number or one colour, you may play all of them and end the hand.
- If you cannot use that exception, open the round with one card only.
Separate the empty-hand rule from the opening exception
During a round you must obey the table's card-count limit even when trying to go out. Playing your whole hand at once is allowed only when opening a new round with a hand that is all one number or one colour.
Scoring and game end
- 1At the end of a hand, score 1 penalty point per card left in your hand. Card values do not matter.
- 2Collect and shuffle all cards, then deal nine each. The player to the left of the previous hand's first player opens the new hand.
- 3For a first game, finish the hand in which anyone reaches at least 15 points. The lowest cumulative score wins.
| Length | End condition |
|---|---|
| Super short | One hand |
| Short | Someone reaches 10+ |
| Recommended first game | Someone reaches 15+ |
| Long | Someone reaches 20+ |
Ties
Players tied for the lowest score share the victory.
Play tips and rules questions
- Because every play takes one card back from the old set, judge not only the strength of your play but also which colour or number you can recover.
- A same-number set may mix colours, while a same-colour set may mix numbers. Building both patterns keeps more options open.
- Set size can increase by only one, so a large combination built too early may have nowhere to go. Track the table's card count as closely as its value.
Q. May I open a new round with more than one card?
Normally no: play one card. The only exception is when your entire hand shares one number or one colour and you can play it all at once.
Q. Must my play match the table set's colour or number?
No. Meet the value and card-count limits. If you play multiple cards, those cards must share a number or a colour with each other.
Q. May I play two 3s over a single 8?
Yes. Their value is 33, which is higher than 8, and two cards are exactly one more than the single-card set.
Q. There are two cards down. May I play four same-colour cards to empty my hand?
No. During the round you may play only two or three cards. Pass or split the four-card combination.
Q. Do I take a card after playing my last cards?
No. The hand ends as soon as your hand is empty.
Q. If everyone else passes, may I play over my own last set?
No. End the round, clear the centre, and open a new round with one card.
Q. Do I add the numbers on my remaining cards?
No. Each remaining card is exactly 1 penalty point, regardless of its number.
Game and editions
Gary Kim, Hope S. Hwang, and Yohan Goh designed Odin, illustrated by Crocotame and published by HELVETIQ in 2024. It won the 2025 As d'Or Game of the Year category.
English Wikipedia has no dedicated article, so the award was cross-checked through its As d'Or winners list. No dedicated Namuwiki article was found. An Asmodee Korea edition is sold, but its official Korean rulebook has not yet been obtained.
Sources
HELVETIQ official English rules — components, play, scoring and endingHELVETIQ official English FAQ — opening, combinations, card count, last card and new roundsHELVETIQ official product page — designers, illustrator, two-player variant and As d'Or 2025Owner's English/Chinese physical box and complete English rules checked — publisher not printedBoardM Korean retail page — Asmodee Korea, 2–6 players, 15 minutes and 54 cardsBGG 406854 — players, age, time, weight and classificationWikipedia cross-check — As d'Or winnersNamuwiki cross-check — no game-specific articleRule summaries are reference content written by us, not quotations from the official rulebook. Always check the official rulebook for exact rules. Diagrams are original schematics, not rulebook illustrations.
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Last updated 2026-09-16
💡 Master tip
Every play makes you take one card from the previous set, so look beyond raw value and recover a colour or number that improves your hand. Since set size can increase by only one, a large combination built too early may have nowhere to go.
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