How to play 7 Wonders Duel

7 Wonders Duel is a two-player head-to-head civilization game by Antoine Bauza and Bruno Cathala. Over three Ages you draft cards from a shared face-up layout — but only cards that aren't overlapped by others are available, so the structure slowly opens as play progresses. Each card you take is also a card your opponent cannot have.

Three paths lead to victory: storm your opponent's capital with military might, collect six different science symbols, or outlast them on raw victory points at the end of Age III. The tension between building your own engine and blocking your rival's runs through every decision, keeping a full game sharp and decisive in about thirty minutes.

On your turn, take one uncovered card from the Age layout — a card is available only if no other card overlaps it. Then do exactly one of three things with it:

• Construct the building — pay its resource and coin costs and add the card to your city. Brown and grey cards produce resources; red cards advance military; green cards collect science symbols; blue cards give victory points; yellow cards generate coins and economic advantages. If an earlier building in your city shows a matching chain symbol, you build the card for free.
• Build a Wonder — use the card (discarding it face-down) to complete one of your unbuilt Wonders, paying its cost and gaining its powerful effect. Only seven Wonders total can be built across the whole game — the eighth is removed during setup.
• Discard for coins — place the card in the discard pile and take coins equal to the number of yellow buildings in your city, plus two.

When the Age's layout is empty, resolve end-of-Age military bonuses and deal the next Age's layout. Repeat for Ages II and III.

You can win instantly at any point in two ways: push the Conflict Pawn all the way to your opponent's capital with military cards (Military Supremacy), or be the first to collect six different science symbols (Science Supremacy). Matching pairs of science symbols also earn you a Progress Token — powerful bonuses that can reshape your strategy.

If neither player achieves an instant win by the end of Age III, score victory points: blue civic cards, Wonders, Progress Tokens, military position, and coins (every three coins = one point). The higher total wins, with the player ahead on the military track breaking ties.

Watch both instant-win tracks at all times — a single unchecked science card or military push can end the game before you score a single point. Drafting is as much about denial as construction.