Cowpoker (2006)

About this game

From the designers: CowPoker is a game for 2 to 4 live players, though it always has four Ranches, the remainder of which are played by "deadwood," or automatic players. Each player (live or deadwood) controls a ranch in a humorous cow town, and only cards from your own ranch have any effect for you. The game consists of a series of card plays in which players try to accumulate the most points and form the best poker hands by playing valuable cards, making good choices, and winning tricks called "Gunfights" and "Roundups."

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 4.
• Rules load. At 1.5/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.