The first game from White Wind... wow. I actually owned this at one point (but traded it away for something expensive.) It's a good (but not great) game of bluff & blind bidding - I'd certainly be willing to play it again. Here's some more on it from The Color of the Wind newsletter.

last update: October 28, 2004

Rules Questions

Q: Can you dig in a space that has no counters?

A: Yes, and you will never hit a rock.

 

Q: On the last turn of the game, if you break your shovel, do you still go back to the hut?

A: Yes. This is a way to avoid having the value of a numbered space deducted from your score. Of course, you still lose the point for the item you break.

Variants

1. Each player starts the game with 20 Gold. Shovels still cost 1 Gold each, but pick axes now cost 5 Gold each. Each turn, a player can either dig with just a shovel or with a shovel and a pick axe. If a player digs with a shovel and a pick axe in a space with a rock, he breaks both items.

2. It seems like game design is often the result of some accidental occurrence rather than a deliberate process. While reading Mike Siggins' review of ELFENGOLD in issue #7 of Sumo, I realized Mike had been playing the game incorrectly. After thinking about it for awhile though, I also realized his way of playing might be just as good as the right way (or maybe better?). So, this variant is from Mike Siggins, by accident.

a. You can only dig in a space that contains at least one counter. The counter in the space does not have to be your own. You may not dig in a space without any counters.

b. If you did and there is no rock in the space, you get Gold equal to the value of the space times the number of counters in the space. Example: If you dig in a '3' space with four counters, you would receive 12 Gold if digging with a shovel, 24 if digging with a pick axe.

Obviously, this changes the game considerably. I would appreciate hearing your comments about which version you think is better. And, by the way, if you don't subscribe to Sumo, you are missing a lot! Simply put, Sumo is the best gaming magazine ever published.

DDepartures

Here's two reviews of Elfengold for those with a thirst for knowledge.

Boardgame Geek entry for Elfengold

The Game Cabinet from Mike Siggins (this is the article mentioned by Alan in the variant section)

Sumo Archives from The Game Cabinet (Alan wasn't joking - Sumo was AMAZING in it's day and is still well worth your time to dig around in.)