In Alhambra each player is a
prominent builder in Europe. The aim is simple – build the best Alhambra you
can by combining Pavilions, Manors, Mezzanines, Chambers, Gardens and Towers.
The game uses tiles to depict each of these structures and each structure is a different colour. A market board is placed in the middle of the play area and it is here that the building tiles will be up for sale.
The game uses four currencies with which to buy the tiles – Florins, Dukats, Denars and Dirhams. Their values range from 1 to 9. Each currency also has its own colour for easy identification and each of the four markets will only accept one of the four currencies.
Each player starts with some starting capital and a fountain - this will be the centrepiece of their Alhambra. All building is connected to this fountain and other tiles. All tiles are placed in a drawstring bag and 4 are selected and placed on the 4 market areas. The currency deck is shuffled and four currency cards are turned face-up – play can now begin.
On a turn a player can choose to purchase a tile by paying the appropriate currency. They can choose to pay more than the value of the tile (each tile has a number) but this will end their turn. If they can pay the exact value of the tile in that currency then they earn another action (either buy another tile or take income). Whenever a player cannot buy a tile or doesn’t wish to do so they have the option to take money. They can take any 1 currency card if its value is 5 or more or they can take as many cards as they wish as long as the total is 5 or less. In this way the players can plan to purchase more expensive tiles in future turns.
The game uses tiles to depict each of these structures and each structure is a different colour. A market board is placed in the middle of the play area and it is here that the building tiles will be up for sale.
The game uses four currencies with which to buy the tiles – Florins, Dukats, Denars and Dirhams. Their values range from 1 to 9. Each currency also has its own colour for easy identification and each of the four markets will only accept one of the four currencies.
Each player starts with some starting capital and a fountain - this will be the centrepiece of their Alhambra. All building is connected to this fountain and other tiles. All tiles are placed in a drawstring bag and 4 are selected and placed on the 4 market areas. The currency deck is shuffled and four currency cards are turned face-up – play can now begin.
On a turn a player can choose to purchase a tile by paying the appropriate currency. They can choose to pay more than the value of the tile (each tile has a number) but this will end their turn. If they can pay the exact value of the tile in that currency then they earn another action (either buy another tile or take income). Whenever a player cannot buy a tile or doesn’t wish to do so they have the option to take money. They can take any 1 currency card if its value is 5 or more or they can take as many cards as they wish as long as the total is 5 or less. In this way the players can plan to purchase more expensive tiles in future turns.
The aim of the game is to score as many points as possible in each of the 3 scoring rounds. In each round all 6 building types are scored. In the first scoring round the player with the most buildings of each type will score. In the 2nd scoring round the first and second highest number of each building will be rewarded and in the 3rd round the top three will earn points. So the strategy of Alhambra is to watch what your opponents are building and choose which structures you build carefully. Paying the exact amounts as often as possible is the key to success as it means you are able to build and take income in the same turn.
At the end of the game a player can also earn points for each length of wall that surrounds their Alhambra (many tiles contain one, two or three wall segments). So careful planning and design throughout the game is rewarded also.
Alhambra is for 2 to 6 players ages 10 and up and plays in about 60 minutes.
Available in The Games Capital's Online Store
Game Review by Neil Thomson
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