Byzantium: My First Istanbul

This is a variant of the marvellous board game Istanbul, designed by Rüdiger Dorn. I originally intended this version to be played with young children: it has a simplified rule set compared to the original game, and plays more quickly. However, I have heard that some people have used it as a simplified entry into the main game itself.

The aim of this variant is to recreate the feel of Istanbul, but also to be accessible by young kids. You only need the core game (no expansions), and no extra assembly or components are required. It plays in around 20 minutes or so.


Here are a few comments from people on BGG who have tried out this variant. It’s always so nice to read things like this - it honestly makes it all worth it:

"We enjoyed it so much, thanks a lot."
"Good job in this one!"
"The two of us really enjoyed it … THANK YOU for your creativity, and for so generously sharing your results!"

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