eight. The expansion also introduces the Iron Bank of Braavos, which adds a loan system to the game. Reception Jesse Scoble comments: "Like many of the best games, A Game of Thrones is fairly easy to learn, but has more than enough complexity and depth that it is challenging to master. Although there are a lot of components, both in pieces and in specific rules, playing through a few turns is all that most casual players will need in order to pick it up. The rulebook is short and well-illustrated with examples that cover most situations, and Fantasy Flight's website is updated with a current FAQ for more rare occurrences. The randomizing factors — from house selection to the Clash of Kings bidding event — ensure that the game has a lot of variety, and calls for players to think quickly to react to new and unexpected situations as they arise." Shannon Appelcline in his history of Fantasy Flight Games called A Game of Thrones board game "ground-breaking for its combination of euro and American mechanics" and credited it with influencing the later FFG board games that likewise profited from a "mixture of tight eurogame mechanics and deep American theming". In 2004, A Game of Thrones won three Origins Awards for Best Traditional Board Game, Best Board Game, and Best Board Game Design for the year 2003. A second edition of the game was released in 2011. Reviews Pyramid See also A Game of Thrones (card game) A Game of Thrones (role-playing game) References External links Second edition rules Second Edition product site Board games introduced in 2003 Christian T. Petersen games Fantasy board wargames Fantasy Flight Games games Games based on A Song of Ice and Fire Licensed board games Origins Award winners