The year is 1792, and you and 23 New York City stockbrokers just signed the Buttonwood Agreement. In a few short years, this group of brokers would be known as the New York Stock Exchange, one of the greatest and most influential pillars in the global economy.
Exchange is a stock trading game of strategy and wit. Players carefully plan their strategy, phase by phase, trying to cash in big in a constantly changing market. However, playing the market is only half the battle- the only thing harder to predict than the stock market might just be the players sitting at the table with you. The one who can best match wits with their opponents will reign victorious in this fast-paced battle of social elite.
The game lasts 5 rounds, and each round is made up of 3 phases; 1.) The Stock Selection Phase, 2.) The Buy/Sell Phase, & 3.) The Market Influence Phase.
During each round players make their selection by putting the desired card face up in the phase sleeve and then placing it face down on the table. When all players have made their decision, all players reveal simultaneously before moving on to the next phase.
This lets players see what other people are doing so they can adjust their strategy during the following phases. However, the phase sleeves only reveal part of the information, so while you may find out what that a player is selling a specific stock you will not know how much.
Finally players get adjust the market, by moving the price of a single stock up or down. A Market Forces card will also be drawn, which produces a random effect on the market.
After the price for each stock has been adjusted, players complete their transaction with the bank at the new price, being mindful of the Market Bubble which can flip the price of a stock if the price gets too high or too low.
At the end of 5 rounds the player with the highest net worth (value in stocks + cash) wins the game.