Dwarves are a hardworking folk with a deep love for all things gold. Armed with pickaxes and lanterns, they dig endless mine corridors until they strike a nugget. But finding it doesn’t satisfy them—they hide their treasure and keep digging. On and on, endlessly. Yet among the dwarves lurk those who crave easy spoils: saboteurs. They look like ordinary dwarves, but secretly, they’ll do anything to steal the loot while barely lifting a finger.

About the Board Game Saboteur

This is a fast-paced card-based party game with hidden roles and tile placement. “Saboteur,” created in 2004 by game designer Fréderic Moyersoen, became wildly popular almost instantly. Even more impressive, it’s the subject of world championships, with participants receiving special cards each year.

A Quick Look at the Rules

From three to ten dwarves compete over three rounds to see who can amass the most gold. Before the game begins, each player is secretly dealt a role card (either a hardworking dwarf or a saboteur) and a number of cards based on the player count. A starting tunnel card is placed face-up in the center of the table, with three goal cards laid face-down at a set distance. One of these goal cards hides the coveted gold.

On your turn, you must play one card from your hand and take an action:

1. Play a tunnel card so the maze aligns (like a puzzle piece).
2. Play an action card and place it face-down in front of another player or yourself. For example, sabotage prevents someone from playing tunnel cards until they play a repair card. A cave-in removes a corridor from the mine to the discard pile, while scouting lets you peek at one goal card secretly.
3. Skip your turn by discarding one card to the discard pile.

After your action, draw one card to your hand, and pass the turn to the next player.

When a player uncovers the gold nugget, the round ends, roles are revealed, and hardworking dwarves receive treasure cards with victory points. If the deck runs out without reaching the goal, saboteurs win and claim the treasure cards instead. The player with the most victory points after three rounds is the overall winner.

We recommend watching the video rules in the “Video” section and, if desired, exploring the illustrated PDF rules in more detail in the “Files” section.

One Last Note

With its simple rules and quick rounds, this game is perfect for large groups or family nights. That said, it’s worth noting that it shines brightest with at least four players—that’s when “Saboteur” truly comes into its own.