Firenze

Step into the 12th - 14th century Florence, where powerful families engage in cut - throat competition in trade, politics, and architecture. They build tall, mostly square - based tower homes as symbols of status. In Firenze, you're a master builder taking on tower construction commissions from these families and the church. Compete with other players to earn the most prestige points by finishing commissions and placing your seal on completed work. When a player uses their final seal, others get one last turn before the final scoring. Colored bricks are the game's currency, and cards can either boost or slow your progress. On each turn, pick a card, collect the bricks from it, and pay a brick for each skipped card. You can exchange three bricks for one before starting construction. You can build multiple towers at once, but adding each brick incurs an extra cost. Unworked towers are torn down as abandoned projects. Keep an eye on other players' projects to avoid losing commissions. This game, formerly named 'Die Architekten von Florenz', won the second prize at the 'Hippodice e.V. Authorenwettbewerb' in 2008.

To play Firenze, first understand that you're a master builder in medieval Florence. The goal is to earn the most prestige points. Start by choosing cards to get colored bricks, which are the game's currency. When you pick a card, you'll need to pay a brick for each card you skip. Before you start building at your construction site, you can exchange three bricks for one. You can work on multiple towers simultaneously, but remember, adding each brick has an extra cost. If you don't work on a tower during a turn, it will be torn down. Keep an eye on other players' actions as they might take the commissions you're aiming for. When someone uses their final seal, you'll get one more turn to make your move before the final scoring. As for maintenance, just keep the cards and bricks organized in their box after each play to ensure they're in good condition for the next game.