Burglar’s Bluff is a light, easy-to-learn card game where players take turns collecting and protecting melds of treasure cards (i.e., sets and runs) in their respective coffers while trying to steal banked treasure from opponents.
You cover each of your banked melds with a face down safe card, as if placing the treasure inside a safe. The safe and protected treasure are considered locked if a lock icon appears on the safe card. A locked safe blocks opponents from stealing the treasure, but prevents you from extending it on future turns. An unlocked safe allows you to later extend the treasure for big points, but leaves it vulnerable to steals.
Bluffing about the state of your safe cards is encouraged, particularly if it increases the uncertainty in your opponents’ minds as to which of your treasures are locked.
Points are awarded at the end of the game based on the size of each banked treasure. Press your luck to create large melds and a huge score. Players earn bonus points for Gold treasure, blocked steals, and unlocked safe cards. The player with the most points wins.
—description from the publisher