Love Letter is a 16-card deduction game where each player tries to deliver their love letter to the Princess. On each turn you have only two cards in hand; you play one and let its ability resolve. Survive to the end of the round (or hold the highest card when the deck runs out) and you score one Token of Affection. First to the threshold (4-7 depending on player count) wins the match.

How to Play Love Letter

Setup (Classic 16-card edition)

1. Shuffle the 16 cards: Princess (1), Countess (1), King (1), Prince (2), Handmaid (2), Baron (2), Priest (2), Guard (5).

2. Burn one card face-down (in 2-player, also reveal three cards face-up).

3. Deal one card to each player.

4. Choose a starting player (last to date someone, or random).

Turn structure

On your turn:

1. Draw the top card of the deck (you now have 2 cards).

2. Play one card and resolve its ability.

3. If the Countess is in your hand alongside the King or Prince, you must discard the Countess.

Card abilities (Classic)

• Guard (1): Name a non-Guard card and target a player. If correct, that player is eliminated.

• Priest (2): Look at another player's hand.

• Baron (3): Compare hands with another player; lower hand is eliminated.

• Handmaid (4): You are protected from being targeted until your next turn.

• Prince (5): Force a player (including yourself) to discard their hand and draw a new card.

• King (6): Trade hands with another player.

• Countess (7): Must discard if held with King or Prince.

• Princess (8): If you ever discard the Princess for any reason, you are eliminated.

End of round

• Round ends when only one player remains, OR when the deck runs out.

• Last player standing OR highest-numbered card wins the round -> +1 Token of Affection.

Match end

First player to the target token count wins:

• 2 players: 7 tokens

• 3 players: 5 tokens

• 4 players: 4 tokens

Cumulative tokens of affection across rounds. Higher is better. Match ends when one player reaches the token target.

total_points (tokens) is a per-round win count, not an additive breakdown: one token is awarded per round survived/won, so there are no named in-match point components that sum to the total. tokens_to_win is a match param on this variant (variant.parameter_schema); record tokens as the authoritative outcome.