There are games that make my hands sweat and games that make me take notes, but Alchemists is the only game that makes me take notes with sweaty hands. A modern masterpiece that combines deduction, worker placement, and bluffing in equal measure, Alchemists mixes a multitude of mechanisms into an intoxicating send up of publish-or-perish academia. Upon first glance the game may seem like a whimsical take on Potions class at Hogwarts (and in a way it is), but underneath that boiling cauldron is a fire stoked by the heat of deeply burning brains. It’s no secret that Alchemists can be a somewhat intimidating learn, but many of the best games are. It’s not that the game is particularly opaque or unintuitive. It’s just that there’s so much going on. But there is a hefty reward for taking the time to familiarize yourself with its vast systems and idiosyncrasies: the enjoyment of playing one of the most exciting, unique Euros ever made. Stripped to its absolute core, Alchemists is a worker placement game played over 6 rounds. Players take on the roles of struggling researchers vying for reputation in the field of alchemy. Each round starts with players selecting different places in turn order which determines whose actions will activate first. Lower places in turn order earn you bonuses for selecting them in the form of “Ingredient” and “Favor” cards. Ingredient cards come in 8 different varieties and are combined to make potions, while Favor cards are used for various one time abilities such as extra actions…