Crowns

Outsmart, outmaneuver, and outplay your opponent in a tactical duel for control of the board in Crowns, an area control card game for two. Using a standard deck of cards!

The game is fast to learn, deep to master. Every card placement changes the battlefield in this tense, two-player duel for territory.

Players take turns placing cards on a 5 × 5 grid, each with unique values and special abilities that can shift the balance of power and force your opponent into tough decisions.

•     Draw cards from your deck.
•     Place cards to claim or capture territory from your rival.
•     Outsmart them by controlling key areas and forcing their hand.

Victory goes to the player who controls the majority of the board when the game ends.

And best of all, all you need to get started is a standard deck of cards!

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The game plays like Chess, Go, or a tactical/collectible card game more than a traditional card game like Gin Rummy; so if you enjoy strategic, head-to-head battles, you’ll enjoy Crowns.

Setup the game

1.     Split the deck by color.
2.     Each player takes their respective color deck, shuffles it, and places it face down.
3.     Each player draws 5 cards from their deck and keeps them hidden from their rival.

On your turn

Turns are quick, as each player makes just one decision per turn.

1.     Choose a card from your hand and place it on the board following the placement rules.
2.     Draw a new card to end your turn.

Depending on which card you placed, you may have to re-arrange the board to fulfill the mechanical requirements.

Special mechanics

Number cards represent the “men-at-arms” on a territory, a higher-numbered squad can therefore always capture a territory from a smaller squad. Face cards, however, bring unique positional abilities that can dramatically shift control of the board and create the game’s most exciting, memorable moments.

ACE - The Ace can only be placed diagonally. When placing the ace, it has the highest value in the game of 14, allowing it to capture even Kings, but once the Ace has been placed, it's value collapses down to 1. In this example, the Ace can be laid in every ✓ square from the ♣:

✓		✓
	♣
✓	♠	✓

KING - The King is laid from the center of a card and can capture all cards omnidirectionally except their own colored cards and other Kings. In this example table, the King can be laid in every ✓ square from the ♠ except on the ♣:

✓	✓	✓
✓	♠	✓
✓	♣	✓

QUEEN - Once the Queen captures a card, she must swap places either with another card or empty square.  In this example, let's say the Queen captures ♥, and in each area around here is either a blank space, or a card (any card, yours, rivals, lower, higher) - which she must swap places with:

	✓
✓	♥	✓
	✓

JACK -  Jack must jump over one card in any direction. In this example, the jack would jump from ♠ and over the other named cards to land on any of the ✓ squares. which may be already occupied by lower cards than the jack, in which case jack would claim them:

✓
♦
♠	♥	✓

Where is the Fun?

In Crowns, every turn is a tense battle of wits, more like a chess match or a fast-paced rally in tennis than a typical card game. You’re not just placing cards; you’re maneuvering for control, turning each move into an opportunity to open new paths and disrupt your rival’s plans.

The thrill comes from the constant push-and-pull of territory, a true tug-of-war. The right card at the right moment can steal a square from your opponent’s grasp, or you can position your forces to cut off their routes entirely. Face cards add drama with powerful abilities that can swing the momentum in an instant. You can bluff, bait, and set traps, striking where they least expect it.

Fast to learn yet endlessly replayable, Crowns offers a fresh battlefield every match thanks to the billions of possible board states. Every card is a weapon, and every move could decide the game.

Victories are often narrow; one player finishing just two or three cards ahead. This happens because:

• Empty squares aren’t always within reach,
• The draft limits what you can play, and
• Capturing a rival card isn’t possible every turn.

The draft also shapes tactics from round to round, ensuring each game unfolds differently. Despite the variety, skill usually wins out: five cards in hand give enough space to plan a strategy while still leaving room for clever counterplay if your draft provides the right tools. 

If you have a standard deck of cards at home then what are you waiting for! The rules are free to learn and free to play!

What people are saying!

"The vast majority of card games conceptually use them as value counters and rarely, if ever, consider them spatially. This nice conceptual leap makes Crowns a very fun and unique experience."
— Average Joe Hero, averagejoehero.com

"Wait, this is actually a great game!"
— Robin, relative.

"Like chess meets go, with cards! Deceptively deep yet mechanically simple, every move is tight, demanding thought and punishing mistakes. All from a standard deck, blending the feel of classic card play with the richness of a full board game."
— Erik, aspiring game designer.

“In all my years in this business, and through all the demos I’ve been asked to play, I’ve only said this twice before, and each time, that game became the best seller in its category: This game is something special."
— Måns, WorldOfBoardGames.se

Help this game grow!

Play it. Share it. Shape it. Every match you play helps Crowns grow into something even greater. With simple, free rules and a standard deck of cards, it’s quick to learn, easy to teach, and fast, fun, and affordable to share with friends and family. My goal is to make Crowns accessible and enjoyable for everyone, never locked behind price tags or needless complexity!

You can also help by rating and commenting on the Crowns BGG page, as well as  on my TGC page for Crowns. Of course, it would be helpful if you did the same here on itch!

Who am I?

DESIGN BY SEBASTIAN SPARFVINGE.

I'm a total geek and a father of two, who loves fantasy, scifi, and basically anything nerdy. In terms of gaming, i'm particularly fond of competitive TCGs, Wargames, and Boardgames as well as indie TTRPGs. I’ve been designing games for years, it's a sizeable part of my hobby and a passion, but Crowns is the first I’ve shared beyond my inner circle. On account of my friends insisting I do so.