Where Every Hand Is a Gallery Opening
There's a moment in Avant Carde when the colors snap into alignment — a red chain slides into a purple chain, the numbers climb, the patrons reward your foresight with bonus cash, and suddenly your modest little deck is funding a breathtaking exhibition. It's the kind of satisfying click that keeps you shuffling back in for one more round.
About the Game
From Resonym, Avant Carde puts you in the role of a collector building a cubist art collection one carefully curated exhibition at a time. Each turn you lay out your hand of seven cards, trying to form runs and matches of colors and numbers — connecting a red 11 to a red 1 to a purple 1 to a purple 13, for instance. Every card played earns you a dollar, and that money goes straight into acquiring better pieces from the gallery stacks. Buy a higher-numbered card, add it to your deck, make next turn's exhibition even more impressive.
What keeps Avant Carde from being a simple matching exercise is the patron system. Six patrons are in play each game, each tied to a card number and offering a distinct power: play the most 2s and pocket a bonus dollar, play a 3 and trash a card you don't want, play a 4 and reassign its color or number on the fly. These patrons shift how you think about every card in your hand — suddenly a 5 isn't just a 5, it's a multiplier waiting to be triggered. Multiple sets of patrons are included, and mixing them keeps the game fresh across many plays.
Who Should Play It
Avant Carde is a confident choice for two players looking for something smart and swift — competitive enough to spark a rematch, light enough to fit into an evening without commitment. The rules come together quickly, making it a strong gateway into card-driven strategy games, while the patron variety and deck-building decisions give experienced players real room to think. It plays in around 30 to 45 minutes and suits anyone aged 10 and up.
What's in the Box
Resonym has always paid close attention to their component quality, and Avant Carde reflects that — the cards carry the distinctive, striking cubist artwork that the theme promises, making the collection you're building feel genuinely worth displaying. The patron system across multiple included sets gives the game meaningful replayability straight out of the box, without needing expansions to stay interesting.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Resonym |
| Players | 2 |
| Recommended Player Count | 2 |
| Age Range | 10+ |
| Play Time | 30–45 minutes |
| Game Weight | Light |
| Language | English |
