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Thematic illustration for Azul
AbstractStrategyDrafting

Azul

Draft colored tiles and build a palace wall while avoiding costly leftovers.

Players2–4 best with 2
Play time30–45 min
Complexity2/5 · Easy
Learn & set up8 min

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At the table

Choose tiles from shared displays and fit them into rows before moving them onto your palace wall. Taking more tiles can help you complete a row, but leftovers cost points.

Play style
Competitive
Suggested age
8+
Time to teach
About 5 min
Time to set up
About 3 min
Player elimination
No

How it plays

Tile draftingPattern building

Rules at a glance

Your goal

Score the most points after the round in which someone completes a horizontal wall row, including end-game bonuses.

The flow of play

  1. Take all tiles of one color from a factory or the center; move a factory’s other tiles to the center

  2. Put the chosen tiles into one legal pattern line, sending any excess to the floor

  3. After drafting ends, move one tile from each completed line to the wall, score it and subtract floor penalties

A quick introduction to the base game. Use your edition’s rulebook for full setup, card effects and exceptions.

Official rules ↗

A feel for the game

couplesbeginner friendlychillfast setupno reading
Suggested age
8+
Interaction
Medium
Reading
None
Conflict
Light
Luck or skill
Skill
Table space
Medium
Downtime
Low

Playing times and difficulty are catalog estimates and may vary by group and edition. Consult the official rulebook for complete rules.

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