Start with a basic deck of Copper and Estate cards. Each turn: play Action cards, then play Treasure cards, then buy one card from the Supply to add to your deck. Cards you buy go to your discard pile and cycle back as your deck reshuffles. A draft phase lets both players shape the kingdom together before the game begins. The game ends when the Pyre pile (highest VP card) or any two Supply piles run out — most VP wins.

Haiku is a deck-building card game in the tradition of Dominion. Build an engine that generates more coins and actions each turn, then flood your deck with victory points at the right moment. The draft adds a strategic layer unique to Cogg's version.

Tips

• Buy a Foundry or Hamlet early — extra actions let you chain more cards per turn.
• Don't buy victory point cards (Embers, Blazes) too early — dead cards slow your engine.
• Thin your deck by trashing Copper — fewer cards means faster cycling.
• Watch the Pyre pile — when it runs low, start buying points aggressively.

Setup and turn structure

Each player starts with a 10-card deck: seven Coppers and three Estates. On each turn, draw 5 cards. Play Action cards first (gaining +cards, +actions, +buys, or +coin), then play Treasure cards for coin, then buy one card from the supply. Discard your hand and any played cards, then draw 5 for next turn. Reshuffle when your deck runs out.

History

Haiku is a deck-building card game in the lineage of Dominion, designed by Donald X. Vaccarino and published by Rio Grande Games in 2008. Dominion launched the deck-builder genre and won the Spiel des Jahres in 2009. Its core idea — every player starts with the same 10-card deck and customizes it through purchases — has been adopted by hundreds of games since. Haiku adds a draft phase that lets players shape the supply together before the game begins, deepening strategic interaction.

Haiku strategies fall into three rough archetypes. Big Money skips actions and buys Silver, then Gold, then Provinces — fast, simple, beats any inefficient engine. Engine chains action cards to draw the deck and play 10+ cards per turn — slow to start, dominant once running. Hybrid mixes a small action core with money cards — flexible, robust, the most common winning strategy.

Deck thinning is the most underrated skill in deck-builders. Trashing weak cards (Copper and Estates) tightens your deck so good cards come up more often. Cards like Chapel that trash multiple cards per use are nearly always worth buying. Don't fall into the trap of "more cards = better deck" — quality beats quantity.

Ending the game well separates winners from losers. Watch the Pyre pile and any nearly-empty Supply piles. The game ends when the Pyre pile empties or when any three Supply piles are exhausted. If you're ahead on VP, push the ending. If you're behind, avoid emptying piles and try to keep the engine running another turn or two.

What's the difference between Haiku and Dominion?

Haiku uses a draft phase where both players together pick the supply, instead of Dominion's random or scenario-based supply. Card mechanics are the same family.

Do I have to play all my Treasure cards?

No, but you usually want to. Unplayed Treasures discard at end of turn without effect.

What is +Buy?

A bonus that lets you buy more than one card on the same turn. Without +Buy, you can only buy one card per turn no matter how much coin you have.

Can I save coins for next turn?

No. Coins from played Treasures are spent or wasted at end of turn. Only victory points and trashed/gained cards persist.

Why are Estates bad?

In the early and mid game, Estates are dead cards that clog your deck without helping. They become valuable only at the end, when victory points are what wins. Buying them too early is a common beginner mistake.

How does the draft phase work?

Both players alternate picking cards from a pool to form the 10-card supply. This adds a metagame layer — picking a card both denies it to the opponent and signals your strategy.

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