Solihull boy, 12, invents new card game that is worldwide hit

A 12-year-old boy has invented a new card game which is winning fans across the world.

Henry, from Solihull, in West Midlands, has taken his love of pirates and the sea to create Waves of Fortune, which challenges players to navigate the high seas and make strategic choices to claim victory.

Orders for the game have come in from Canada, India and Ukraine, and the cards are now stocked at the Booghe Toys store at The Fort Shopping Centre in Birmingham.

The Year 7 pupil at Solihull School said he “couldn’t believe it” when he got invited to sell his game at one of the city’s toy stores.

“I was delighted, it was amazing, I couldn’t believe it was happening,” he told BBC Radio West Midlands.

“I had a showcase day there and sold quite a few”.

Henry said he always loved card games and began to design the game last summer after a scuba diving trip on holiday.

The game involves each player collecting as much treasure as they can, which combined with stealing other player’s action cards, makes for a quick and tactful game, Henry explained.

“You have to collect as much treasure as you can by the end of the game. I call it sea loot,” he said.

He hopes to rival the likes of Uno one day, but the young inventor says it was never about making money.

“Since it wasn’t really about making money, I decided to give some of the profits to charity and good causes,” he said.

“It wasn’t difficult to set up. I’ve played it a lot with my friends and family, and they said it is really fun, even the adults enjoy it”.

Henry has donated more than £200 to various charities since launching Waves of Fortune at Christmas, and has promised to give £1 from the sale of each game to charity.

The budding gamer has sold more than 160 packs, and says he still has orders coming in from Germany, Switzerland and Malta.