Vaquero is played on a 12x12 square grid of circles, divided into four colored quadrants of 6x6 circles each, with the central four circles of those quadrants missing and replaced with the game's logo. Each quadrant has a pattern of numbers 1-10 on its circles starting on its outer corner and also on its inner corner. Each player then has 10 numbered discs, the same colors as the board sections, and several games are described involving placing those pieces on the board and achieving an objective such as moving all the pieces from one numbered set of circles to another. Like other games from this designer/publisher, Vaquero is an abstract strategy game system branded with a Western theme.