Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Low interaction
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
The object of The Horse Race Game is to win the jackpot and attempt to make the most money by holding the Horse Card that crosses the finish line first in each race. Players begin by paying a $1 entry fee, after which they are dealt cards with racehorses on them.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
The object of The Horse Race Game is to win the jackpot and attempt to make the most money by holding the Horse Card that crosses the finish line first in each race. Players begin by paying a $1 entry fee, after which they are dealt cards with racehorses on them. Before play begins, a scratch round occurs; i.e., a roll of the dice determines which racehorses have been dropped from the race. During the course of the game if any player is unlucky enough to roll the number of a scratched horse they are forced to pay money to the pot. If, however, they roll the number of a remaining horse, that horse advances a spot to the finish. The game ends when a predetermined number of races have run or a set time has been reached. The player with the most money at the end of the game wins.