No Thanks (2024)

• Designer: Thosten Gimmler
• Publisher: Amigo
• Players: 3-7
• Age: 8+
• Time: 20 minutes
• Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3C3iVFR 
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

No Thanks! is a card game designed to be as simple as it is engaging.

The rules are simple. Each turn, players have two options:

• play one of their chips to avoid picking up the current face-up card
• pick up the face-up card (along with any chips that have already been played on that card) and turn over the next card

However, the choices aren’t so easy as players compete to have the lowest score at the end of the game. The deck of cards is numbered from 3 to 35, with each card counting for a number of points equal to its face value. Runs of two or more cards only count as the lowest value in the run – but nine cards are removed from the deck before starting, so be careful looking for connectors. Each chip is worth -1 point, but they can be even more valuable by allowing you to avoid drawing that unwanted card.

The first versions of the game supported up to five players, but the German 2011 edition supports up to seven (simply by increasing the number of chips). The German 2024 edition which is reviewed here includes additional cards to allow for play with variant rules.

In this version of the game (2024 vs 2004), there is a base deck of 33 cards and then 22 special cards.  I’ll first start by explaining the base game which only uses the base 33 cards.

Take those cards, shuffle them and then set aside 9 of them unseen. The remaining 24 cards are placed as a face down deck on the table. Each player is given a starting supply of chips (11 chips for 3-5p) – your supply of chips should be held in your hand and remain a secret during the game.  A start player is determined.

The start player flips up the top card of the deck. He then has two choices:

A] Take the card and place it face up in front of him. If you take the card, you get any counters that had been placed on it earlier.

B] Say “No Thanks”, refuse the card, and place one of his chips on it; the next player clockwise then has the same two options.  Continue until someone takes the card.

Once someone takes a card, the next player in turn order flips up the top card of the deck and the game goes on.  Continue until the final card in the deck is shown.  At this time, players calculate their scores.  Each card is worth negative points equal to its number.  However, if you have cards of consecutive values, you only take the lowest value for the entire set.  Each chip you have left is positive one point.  Whoever has the fewest negative points wins.

The advanced game uses the 22 extra cards in the box.  These cards are green and pink to help set them apart.  Green cards allow you to take special action while pink cards have a negative action.

Setup is a bit more convoluted.  Add the pink cards to the base deck, shuffle them, and then discard 9 of these cards.  Then take 9 random green cards and add those to the deck.  Reshuffle everything in this deck.

Pink cards work like regular cards, you will either accept them or pass and place a chip on it. Examples include:

• Counters are worth negative points
• Your highest number counts double
• One negative point per card

Green cards are different – since these are generally beneficial, you are instead bidding to get the card.  Either you put a counter on the card to stay in the auction OR you pass, take the chips on the card, but then the player to your right gets the card.  Examples of the green cards:

• Outright positive bonus points
• Wild card that can be any rank
• Remove a card from your display
• Skip a card without having to bid on it at all

My thoughts on the game

I didn’t think that the new cards would change the game – but, as is possibly usual, I was wrong.  The extra cards each give you something else to think about (and to spend your chips on) – and this turns out to make the game a bit more exciting.  It does take a bit of coaching for everyone to understand how the green cards work (as you’re paying to stay in the bidding as opposed to skipping) – but once you’ve played the game once, it’s no big deal to remember.

You’ll have a few more cards to bid on when you add in the nine green cards, so you’ll have to watch your budgeting a bit.   Depending on which special cards come into play, you’ll also be tempted to bid a bunch.  Of course, some of the cards will have varying effects on different players, so people may value them differently – but you’ll definitely have to learn how to deal with each of the varieties of boons and penalties.

I loved the original game (owning at least two different versions of it), and I am thrilled to have another set of the game.  If you’re a fan of the original – don’t worry – you can always just play the base game by leaving out the new cards.  If you want to spice things up, add in the new cards.  I find that the game is improved with them, and I’ll likely not want to play without them.  But, if you’re a stodgy traditionalist, you can just say “No Thanks” to the new cards and stick to what you know.

Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3C3iVFR 

Thoughts from other Opinionated Gamers

Mark Jackson: I’m a stodgy traditionalist… and the original No Thanks wore out its welcome in my game collection after about 15 plays back in 2005-2006. The base game is clever – but the additional cards just muddy the waters.

Ratings from the Opinionated Gamers

• I love it! Dale Y
• I like it.
• Neutral. John P
• Not for me…Mark Jackson