Fourth down. Two seconds on the clock.
The whole game on one play.
A tactical football board game where the dice decide the yards and the coach decides the down. Two coaches, hidden plays, real reads. Plus FIRST DOWN SNAP, the fast card-game companion.
FIRST DOWN is the full strategic experience — 4 quarters, deep tactics, a real football game on your table.
FIRST DOWN SNAP is the quick version — same DNA, 22 cards, played in minutes. Get it free as an Early Backer.
FIRST DOWN SNAP is free for Early Backers, then a €15 add-on during Kickstarter (€18 after the campaign).
Photos show the Coach and GM editions. Full details on the FIRST DOWN page →
I'm André Beucler, founder of Don Bean Games. For years I looked for a board game that captured the psychology, pressure and tactical rhythm of football. I never found one that felt right, so I built it myself. FIRST DOWN is the result.
Most football board games lean on dice and lookup charts. You roll, you check a table, you hope. FIRST DOWN flips that. Here the dice decide the yards, not whether your play worked.
Every play starts with a decision. You pick your card in secret. Your opponent does the same. You reveal at the same time, and the matchup between offense and defense decides what happens before the dice ever touch the table. The roll matters, but your read matters more.
That is what makes FIRST DOWN a true head-to-head game. Start with the ten-minute Quick Start and go deeper when you are ready. No separate charts to look up, every matchup value sits right on the card. Just two coaches, hidden plays, and the pressure of calling the right one at the right moment. Whether you are a lifelong football fan or new to the sport, you can learn it in minutes and spend hours trying to outsmart the coach across the table.
Start with the Quick Start and you are playing in ten minutes. When you want the full system, the complete rulebook is here too. Both are drafts and will be finalised after the campaign.
The campaign is live. The first 100 backers per edition get FIRST DOWN SNAP free, at the same price as everyone else.
Campaign runs for 28 days.
Get our free 6-page guide. The field, the positions, the scoring, and why every snap is a chess match.
Get the free guide
DON BEAN GAMES
