
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,580
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Queen's Necklace
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2003

2007
Rules assistance for Chicago Poker
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Chicago Poker is a board game released in 2007 for 2–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Bruno Faidutti and Bruno Cathala and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Card Play Conflict Resolution.
Players are notorious gang bosses in the heyday of organized crime in Chicago during the 1920s. The goal of the game is to take control of the main legal and illegal sources of profit, meaning bars, game rooms, jazz clubs and revue theaters. To do this, each player sends his men to intimidate the owners of these businesses and gain them to their cause. Most of the businesses even change ownership at the game table! The winner is the first player who, by playing poker combinations with his cards, takes control over 3 businesses of the same kind, 4 different ones, or any 5.
Chicago Poker supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Chicago Poker is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Chicago Poker for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Chicago Poker has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Chicago Poker belongs to these categories: Card Game, Bluffing, and Mafia. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Card Play Conflict Resolution. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Chicago Poker are: Bruno Faidutti and Bruno Cathala. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Chicago Poker as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.