El Grande
El Grande explained: power cards, action cards, caballeros, the Castillo, scoring rounds and nine-round area control.
Use power cards to determine turn order and how many caballeros enter your court, then choose action cards to place influence and trigger special effects.
Regional majorities score after rounds three, six and nine, while the Castillo hides caballeros that can be redeployed during scoring.
Why We Love It
El Grande keeps area control readable because there is no combat resolution layer. The tension comes from timing influence, manipulating turn order and hiding strength in the Castillo.
About El Grande
Use power cards to determine turn order and how many caballeros enter your court, then choose action cards to place influence and trigger special effects.
Regional majorities score after rounds three, six and nine, while the Castillo hides caballeros that can be redeployed during scoring.
Game at a Glance
Play a Power Card
Turn order and reinforcement are linked in one choice.
Place Caballeros
Action cards determine placement and special effects.
Use the Castillo
Hidden caballeros can appear during scoring.
Score Majorities
Regions score after rounds 3, 6 and 9.
Who El Grande suits
Players who want direct area-majority competition with low randomness and a strong emphasis on turn order and timing.
Rules overview
Each round, players choose power cards in turn, establishing initiative and adding caballeros to their court. In power-card order, each player selects one available action card, resolves its special action and places the allowed caballeros. The King restricts legal placement and anchors one region. Scoring occurs after rounds three, six and nine, including the Castillo and region majorities.
Key decisions
Editorial analysis: Do not treat the highest power card as automatically best. Going first improves action-card choice but usually gives fewer reinforcements. The Castillo is strongest when opponents cannot tell whether its hidden strength changes one region or several possible scoring races.
Common questions
How many rounds are played?
Nine rounds.
What does the King do?
The King’s region is protected from normal movement in or out, and normal placement is tied to regions adjacent to it.
When do regions score?
The main scoring rounds occur after rounds 3, 6 and 9.
Related games
Learn El Grande in depth
Sources and edition notes
Facts checked September 16, 2026. Strategy sections are editorial analysis based on the identified rules rather than measured win-rate claims.