Pit (game)
The box and cards for Pit | |
| Publishers | Parker Brothers (Hasbro) |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1904–present |
| Genres | Trading card game |
| Players | 3 to 8 players |
| Setup time | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Playing time | 1 to 10 minutes per round, any number of rounds |
| Chance | Dealing cards, blind trades |
| Skills | Hand management, Deal making |
Pit is a fast-paced card game for three to eight players, designed to simulate open outcry bidding for commodities. The game first went on sale in 1904 by the American games company Parker Brothers.
The inspirations were the Chicago Board of Trade (known as the Pit) and the US Corn Exchange. The game itself was likely based on the very successful game Gavitt's Stock Exchange, invented in 1903 by Harry E. Gavitt of Topeka, Kansas.
While the name Pit remains trademarked in many countries by Hasbro, versions of the game have been marketed under names, including Billionaire, Business, Cambio, Deluxe Pit, Quick 7, Zaster. As early as 1904, the attributed clairvoyant Edgar Cayce claimed he had developed the game and sent it to Parker Brothers.