The game Mercante in Fiera hails from the early renaissance in Italy, and the growth of commerce in the city of Florence. It is designed to push players into networking, probing each other, gathering information, all leading to a share of the players' total wealth.

At its simplest, the game has two identical decks of cards, and plays in two phases:

- In the first phase, the players invest in cards from the first deck, sold by the facilitator through stories.

- Between phases, the sum of all investments is pooled and spread over a small set of cards from the hidden second deck.

- In the second phase, cards from the hidden second deck are revealed one by one, with the winning cards at the end.

No other rules apply!

Every step highlights a meaning in life, that reveals players to themselves and those around them. Investment is a risk-hungry behaviour, yet here it only works if others follow you. Pooling resources onto cards follows that rewards in life often concentrate, and losses spread. Eliminating cards reveals real and potential value gradually, leading players to adapt and change their strategies.

A classic zero-sum game, you must hunt for information and form factions lest you be left behind!

Along with the game, I will share methods and resources to learn negotiation in life. With both theory and practice, you can learn to hold your own and come out of top in the future.

The workshop lasts 3-4h, including several games and rule changes as time allows. It is best played with 6-10 participants.