Il Gioco del Ponte

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Since 1568, the north and south sides of Pisa (Tramontana und Mezzogiorno) compete yearly on the Il Gioco del Ponte - the battle for the bridge. Which strategy will lead your side to victory? What surprises do your opponents have in store for you? Only the most cunning players will overcome their opponent's assault and be declared the king of the bridge!

The Arno, the largest river in Tuscany, flows into the Mediterranean and on his way divides the city of Pisa in two. The northern side of Tramontana and the southern side of Mezzogiorno. In the middle of the city the two halves are connected over the Arno by a bridge, the Ponte di Mezzo. And it is on this bridge that for centuries now the most powerful men of the twelve traditional districts have gathered once a year to compete in the Il Gioco del Ponte.

The boardgame implementation of this spectacle is a collector's item and artistic masterpiece, in which each of the figures is handmade and hand-painted. You pick a side and engage in a thrilling battle with two, three, four or six players. You'll have to divide your strength wisely, and adjust to the strategy of your opponents, in order to also push the handmade (and in real life seven ton) cart to the other side of the river.

This new Spieleschmiede project is the debut design of Luca Macelloni, who himself actively participates in the Il Gioco del Ponte. Last year, after five years of design and extensive testing (and obtaining the permission of the Pisa Council of Elders), he was able to release a game that does an amazing job of capturing the strategic aspects of the real event. Since this unique game has previously only been published in Italian and English, we'd like to ensure that it can also make it's way to your table.

The real event is held in Pisa at the end of June, and every year attracts a large number of tourists away from the Leaning Tower to the Ponte di Mezzo. The preparations of the combatants are extremely involved and tiring, and the contests take sometimes more than 20 minutes.

What kind of player will like Il Gioco del Ponte?

Il Gioco del Ponte is a family game for ages 10 and up (in the basic game), for players who want an interesting and exciting introduction to strategy games. But by also being able to fight for the bridge in one advanced and two expert modes, experienced gamers will also get their money's worth and the experience of bringing a historical spectacle into their living room. The sealed 35x30x12 (WxLxH) game box will look beautiful on your game shelf, as will the the lovingly crafted figures on the game table.

Special production requirements of
Il Gioco del Ponte

As previously mentioned, this game is a collector's item, which up to now has so only been available in a bilingual Italian-English version. The twelve handcrafted miniatures and the handcrafted cart are made from Alabaster and Resin, and then hand-painted. Due to the elaborate manufacturing process, only 50 games per month can be completed, and this Spieleschmiede project will be unique in that it will be delivered at different times.

The point in the project at which you back, determines whether you will receive the game either earlier or later. At the end of production we will add the translated components and then send it to you. English speaking backers will receive the bilingual Italian-English version of the game.

How do you play?

The board game is based heavily on the real-world Il Gioco del Ponte event. There are always two sides competing against each other, and the basic rules of the two-player game also apply to the higher player counts. In the two-player version, each player selects a side (Tramontana or Mezzogiorno) and distributes their strength points across six districts.

Depending on the mode (basic, advanced or expert), the strength points will be distributed differently. Bluff and deception become increasingly important. Finally, the battle for the bridge will be held over six rounds, each with one Tramontana district playing against one Mezzogiorno district. The first side to win four of the duels wins the game, with ties being decided by a tie-breaker round.

The goal is to be able to anticipate your opponent and play the right strength card, along with appropriate strategy cards, to outwit your enemy. Each round you'll have only one opportunity to use a strategy card to tip the balance in your favor. Unplayed strategy cards and unused strength points are saved for a tie-breaker.

The English game rules can be found here.

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Our Goals

The designer Luca Macelloni and the graphic artist, in collaboration with Spieleschmiede, would like bring this high-quality masterpiece of Tuscan craftsmanship to Germany. Spieleschmiede therefore supports the German translation of the game material.

Spieleschmiede exclusive option: Wooden strength markers

Because the production of the miniatures is already extremely time-consuming and expensive, the designer decided to make the strength markers from hard foam. In our opinion, wooden game pieces fit better. Those who prefer wooden pieces have the option to add them on to their pledge. They have a slightly larger diameter, but work just as well.

Delivery in October 2015

Our goal is to be able to deliver Il Gioco del Ponte in October, shortly before or after the Essen SPIEL fair. As previously mentioned, because of the time consuming production process, exactly when you receive the game will depend on the time of backing. Supporters in Germany will receive everything shipped for free. For other countries see this postage cost table.

Please do not add the postage costs to your pledge amount yourself. Spieleschmiede will automatically calculate and add them based on your delivery address.

Join in!

Please support Il Gioco del Ponte by backing this project. You can also help us greatly by telling others about the project - whether by posting in your favorite forum, linking it from your website, or sharing it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

If you're excited about Il Gioco del Ponte then use one of these avatars for your profile on your favorite social networks! Just right-click on the image and choose "Save Image As..." (the option may be slightly different depending on your browser).

Support Il Gioco del Ponte and make sure you get your own copy of this gorgeous strategy game with handmade miniatures!

This project is run by Luca Macelloni, Via Magenta 63, 56035 Casciana Alta-Lari, ITALY

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