12 Gangsters is a competitive bluffing and deduction card game designed by experienced tabletop creator Reiner Kiesling and published by AMIGO Spiel in 2022. It blends simultaneous card play with social reading, inviting players to outsmart opponents through tactical number choices and timing.
Key facts
Designer: Reiner Kiesling
Publisher: AMIGO Spiel (2022)
Players: 2–6
Playing time: ~20 minutes
Genre: Bluffing, deduction, hand management
Gameplay and mechanics
In 12 Gangsters, players lead small criminal crews competing for control of lucrative districts. Each round, participants secretly select one of twelve numbered gangster cards to deploy. After simultaneous reveals, the highest unique number wins the target area, while ties cancel out—mirroring the unpredictable hierarchy of underworld rivalries. The game rewards calculated risks and perceptive play rather than luck.