Big Time Hockey has been carefully designed to provide a light, smooth-playing, card-based simulation of the popular winter sport. But this is no simple draw-and-play-a-card game – there is lots of depth, decision-making and interaction in BTH. The action deck uses the familiar suits of traditional playing cards to facilitate play. On an offensive player's turn he'll choose one to three cards from his hand and play them to the table. The point values of offensive cards can often be combined and the higher the total, the higher the scoring threat. The defensive player can then play one or more defensive cards, or "pass" and draw a new card into his hand. The offensive player will then shoot the puck (or, rarely, add another card to his initial placement). It sounds simple, but there's more here than meets the eye. There are many subtle and surprisingly difficult choices throughout, and this game has flow! BTH's streamlined rules are easy to learn, and every game you play will yield results similar to pro hockey. For example, each player will average around 15 scoring chances and 3 goals per game – with *plenty* of variation every time you play. Significantly, routine shots on goal and shots wide of the net have been stripped from BTH, leaving scoring chances and the exciting essence of a real-life game of ice hockey. Practically everything else is here, too, including the sport’s ebb and flow, deflections, blocked shots, super saves, forechecking, penalties, fights, and pulling the goalie. —description from the designer