Take your place among the famous Medici family as a trader of valuable goods, in an effort to corner the market and scoff at your competitors with your skillfully acquired riches.

The components of Medici are few, but of excellent quality. For what is essentially a card game with a game board and wooden bits for keeping score, this is THE bidding game. Players vie for control of the markets in metal, porcelain, fabric, dye, and spice by bidding on one to three of these commodities which are randomly drawn. But, not only does each card have a point scoring value, players are also awarded for having the most of one commodity regardless of value. And, since each player cannot obtain more than five cards, there is constant mind numbing decisions on what to bid on and how much to bid.

If you are at all interested in bidding type strategy games, this is a must have (if only to see the other players expressions of agony from indecision). However - Warning: Do not, I repeat, do not buy the English version of this fine game! The German components are far superior, and since the English rules are enclosed there is no problem whatsoever in the play of the game.