Prey

Prey is a card game where you try to win tricks, but with a surprising turn. First you play six tricks with one side of your cards. Then you flip them all over and play another six tricks with the back side. What you give away now could be your winning card later. So every choice counts twice. The best part is the bidding. You don't decide how many tricks you want to win yourself, the dice do that for you. That gives you a new puzzle to solve every round and makes you think in a different way each time. It makes Prey surprisingly tough, even though the game comes in a tiny little box. You play Prey with three or four players, from age 10 up, and a game takes about half an hour. Perfect to put on the table quickly while still having plenty to think about. The first player to reach two points wins. You can explain the rules in no time, but the tense feeling sticks around all evening.