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- BGG #527
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Downforce
- 2–6 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,537
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Win Place Show
1978
Rules assistance for Win Place Show
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–8 players
- 60 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Win Place Show
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Win Place Show is a board game released in 1978 for 3–8 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by G. E. Volrath and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Betting and Bluffing.
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About the 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.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Copp Clark Publishing Company
Questions and answers
Win Place Show supports 3–8 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 Win Place Show is 60 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 Win Place Show for ages 8 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.
Win Place Show has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Win Place Show belongs to these categories: Racing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Betting and Bluffing. 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 Win Place Show are: G. E. Volrath. 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 Win Place Show 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.