Win Place Show (1978)

About this game

A horse race game with a difference. Each player is dealt 7 horse cards at the start of the game. Based on the numbers these cards, which affect which horse will move, the player then places up to four bets. Each bet is worth one chip, and all similar bets go into a common pool. A player plays a card for the horse he wishes to move and rolls the dice to move the coloured horse played. This continues until three horses have crossed the finish line. Whoever bet on the winning horse shares in the "win" pool: the second horse, the "place" pool; the third horse, the "show" pool: the first and second horse (in order), the exactor pool and the first second and third horse (in order), the triactor pool. Any odd chips remain for the next race. Because this is a 'closed' system (each player starts with only 10 betting chips), every time someone wins a chip, someone else will be down one. The winner is the one who has the most betting chips at the end of 10 races.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 3 to 8.
• Rules load. At 2.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 8 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.