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Darkleaf Gambit

Darkleaf Gambit

Expansion

2026·Jamison Klagmann, Jessica Klagmann

Videos
6
Creators
6

Some playthroughs. Darkleaf Gambit is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 1 reviews, 1 how-to-play guides, 2 recorded sessions, and 2 other videos.

2 players
30 - 45 min

From BoardGameGeek

Darkleaf Gambit is a two-player, turn-based, asymmetrical game that takes your most beloved chessboard and transforms it into the mythical forest of Haggedorn. Begin this classically competitive game by taking control of one of six clans, each offering a unique set of abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Although champions from one clan to the next share similar shapes-pawns and rooks, knights and queens-the way in which these units move around Haggedorn varies dramatically. Some units protect while others manipulate the terrain while others seek only to destroy. Each turn, you and your rival roll from a pool of dice to determine what deeds can be performed. Metal-core chips track the status-both boons and curses-of your clan's units in Haggedorn. Once powered up, cube tokens may be spent to unlock powerful clan skills. Game progress is tracked by each player on a beautifully illustrated dual-layer board. Maximizing the game's asymmetry, every clan's path to victory is also different. You may be forced to protect your king from the ranged attack of the Huldra or a close confrontation with The Murg. Ferrymen seek to push units into the void, while Erde care only for claiming Haggedorn's sacred territories. Wildero Wibo transform your units into pawns of their own, while Hexen curse the very ground upon which you walk. Be the first to reach your clan's victory condition to ascend as the last true power in Haggedorn. -description from the publisher

Darkleaf Gambit

Watch first

Learn to play

How to Play Darkleaf Gambit | How to Game with Becca Scott9:11

How to Play Darkleaf Gambit | How to Game with Becca Scott

Good Time Society

Good Time Society

Review

Darkleaf Gambit Review - Wait, This Isn’t Chess?1:30

Darkleaf Gambit Review - Wait, This Isn’t Chess?

Meeple AF

Meeple AF

Watch it played

Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough - Conquer The Haggerdorn!45:08

Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough - Conquer The Haggerdorn!

BoardGameCo

BoardGameCo

Which Darkleaf Gambit video should I watch?

Darkleaf Gambit has 6 videos from 6 creators: 1 review, 1 how-to-play guide, 2 playthroughs and 2 other videos. They date from 2025 to August 2026.

To learn the rules, start with "How to Play Darkleaf Gambit | How to Game with Becca Scott" by Good Time Society, which runs 9 min.

For an opinion before you buy, start with "Darkleaf Gambit Review - Wait, This Isn’t Chess?" by Meeple AF. To see it played, watch "Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough - Conquer The Haggerdorn!" by BoardGameCo, one of 2 playthroughs.

If you like it, try Wicked Cribbage, also by Jamison Klagmann, or Star Wars: Legion, Dice Conquest and Dice Miner, which share several of its mechanics.

All videos

How to Play Darkleaf Gambit | How to Game with Becca ScottHow to play9:11

How to Play Darkleaf Gambit | How to Game with Becca Scott

Good Time Society

Good Time Society

Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough - Conquer The Haggerdorn!Playthrough45:08

Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough - Conquer The Haggerdorn!

BoardGameCo

BoardGameCo

Darkleaf Gambit: A Chess Lover’s Dream or Nightmare #boardgames #chess #chessgame #tabletopgames1:28

Darkleaf Gambit: A Chess Lover’s Dream or Nightmare #boardgames #chess #chessgame #tabletopgames

Grant Lyon

Grant Lyon

Darkleaf Gambit Play Through | The Game Haus35:44

Darkleaf Gambit Play Through | The Game Haus

The Brothers Murph

The Brothers Murph

Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough | Pumped Up KickstarterPlaythrough42:31

Darkleaf Gambit Playthrough | Pumped Up Kickstarter

Foster the Meeple

Foster the Meeple

Darkleaf Gambit Review - Wait, This Isn’t Chess?Review1:30

Darkleaf Gambit Review - Wait, This Isn’t Chess?

Meeple AF

Meeple AF

Creators who cover this

All channels
BoardGameCo
BoardGameCo
1 video of this game
Foster the Meeple
Foster the Meeple
1 video of this game
Good Time Society
Good Time Society
1 video of this game
Grant Lyon
Grant Lyon
1 video of this game
Meeple AF
Meeple AF
1 video of this game
The Brothers Murph
The Brothers Murph
1 video of this game

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Wicked Cribbage

2024·Jamison Klagmann

Videos
1
Creators
1
Playthroughs

2 - 4 players·30 - 45 min·Light weight

Star Wars: Legion

2018·Alex Davy, Luke Eddy

Videos
76
Creators
29
Mostly how-to-play and reviews

2 players·120 - 180 min·Heavy weight

Dice Conquest

2022·Stephen Avery, Eugene Bryant

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Mainly playthroughs

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Dice Miner

2021·Joshua DeBonis, Nikola Risteski

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Mainly reviews

1 - 4 players·20 - 30 min·Light weight

About Darkleaf Gambit

From BoardGameGeek:

Darkleaf Gambit is a two-player, turn-based, asymmetrical game that takes your most beloved chessboard and transforms it into the mythical forest of Haggedorn. Begin this classically competitive game by taking control of one of six clans, each offering a unique set of abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Although champions from one clan to the next share similar shapes-pawns and rooks, knights and queens-the way in which these units move around Haggedorn varies dramatically. Some units protect while others manipulate the terrain while others seek only to destroy. Each turn, you and your rival roll from a pool of dice to determine what deeds can be performed. Metal-core chips track the status-both boons and curses-of your clan's units in Haggedorn. Once powered up, cube tokens may be spent to unlock powerful clan skills. Game progress is tracked by each player on a beautifully illustrated dual-layer board. Maximizing the game's asymmetry, every clan's path to victory is also different. You may be forced to protect your king from the ranged attack of the Huldra or a close confrontation with The Murg. Ferrymen seek to push units into the void, while Erde care only for claiming Haggedorn's sacred territories. Wildero Wibo transform your units into pawns of their own, while Hexen curse the very ground upon which you walk. Be the first to reach your clan's victory condition to ascend as the last true power in Haggedorn. -description from the publisher

Designers

Jamison Klagmann, Jessica Klagmann

Artist

Jessica Klagmann

Publisher

Only Then Studios

Categories

Abstract StrategyDiceFantasy

Mechanics

Dice RollingVariable Player Powers
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Darkleaf Gambit
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