Horses for Courses

Overview

Horses for Courses is a tactical playing-card based game for 2-6 players.

A standard playing-card deck and paper is all you need for the basic version of the game, or print out the boards and tokens (A4/letter) at home to make the standard version (shown below).

Whilst all components are provided in the standard version of the game for printing at home, it is easy to substitute or simply draw the few components needed to add to your playing card deck. Betting chips can be substituted for matchsticks or coins and the boards and betting tokens can be drawn on a piece of paper in less than a few minutes to get play underway.

What You Get

BASIC

The basic version of the game provides an A4/letter PDF version of the rules. You will need a standard deck of playing cards (not provided) and need to lay out some of the elements on paper (2-3 minutes setup). Additionally, a currency is required, such as matchsticks, pasta or coins.

STANDARD

The standard version of the game provides an A4/letter PDF version of the rules and printable files for character & betting tokens, 'runners & riders' board, 'odds' board, x4 custom cards (not required to play) and betting 'chip' tokens. You will need a standard deck of playing cards (not provided). Additionally, a currency is required. Betting 'chips' can be made from the included files, but for a simpler setup you can substitute matchsticks, pasta or coins.

Setting Up

Setting up is very quick and involves shuffling and dealing the playing cards and laying out the boards and components, taking only a few minutes each time.

See the set up video below:

How to Play

Each round, players will use their allocated funds and winnings to place bets on the horse of their choice, based on the 'Goings' (conditions) for that race. Each horse has more or less of a chance of winning, with returns reducing the more likely a horse is to win (the odds).

In addition, Jackpot and Prize Draw pots are funded each round and offer alternative strategies to win, either by having your horse played before any of the others, or playing out your hand before the other players.

Players will then take their hands and decide whether to keep these or exchange them for the spare hand. There are various tactical reasons to do this! Once play starts, the spare hand begins to show the 'runnings' of the race (and which cards will stop play), allowing you to develop your tactics.

Then make a decision; try to influence the game to play out the horse on which you have bet; try to influence the game to stop your nearest competitor; try to play out your hand first and/or be the first to play a horse. Each tactic will reward you and some will hinder your opponents.

Tally up the winnings and move onto the next round. There is one round for each player with the exception of two player games. Whoever has the most winnings at the end of all the rounds is the champion!

The Cards

A standard deck of playing cards is all that is needed to play the basic version of the game, as well as paper. 

In the standard version of the game, there are also four additional cards that can be made. These are optional and can be made to add an additional element to the game.

Whilst all components are provided in the standard version of the game for printing at home, it is easy to substitute or simply draw the few components needed to add to your playing card deck. Betting chips can be substituted for matchsticks or coins and the boards and betting tokens can be drawn on a piece of paper in less than a few minutes to get play underway.

Tactics

Players can use a number of different tactics to gain the advantage, including tactical betting. Each bet placed reduces the odds on a given horse, which can be used to scupper opponents' plans and make the most of your betting position.

Players will then use their cards, the active 'runnings' of the race and cards removed from play to make their decisions on which cards to play and when, in order to secure their strategy and win more than their competitors.

By monitoring your winnings and those of others, you can tactically bet and take more or less risk in order to win!

Add Ons

You can also get your hands on our previous PNP games catalogue, including Attack of the Intergalactic Gherkins and our dog-pirate adventure game Tails of the Sea.

You can check them out on Board Game Geek and our previous campaigns!

Supervolcano PNP Base Game (£2/$2.70). In this competitive, solo and co-op game for up to six players, you play one of a number of thermal power companies, contracted by the government to tackle the threat of a Supervolcanic eruption! Each player plays simultaneously to establish power plants and harvest super heated steam from deep inside the volcano. It's risk v. reward - keep the volcano under control or build for victory, but at what cost? Board Game Geek 7.7/10

Map Pack Expansion (£1-2/$1.35-2.70). Adds extra player maps.

Tails of the Sea PNP Base Game (£4/$5.40). Tails of the Sea is a strategy game including area control, pick up and deliver and light economic mechanics. Take the helm as Captain of a dog-pirate ship and command your pack of Muttley Crue to become victorious! Be the first to build a wealth of bones, through exploration, trade or piracy! Play competitively or in co-op and solo games modes against the menacing Measley Moggy Fleet! Board Game Geek 8.4/10

Tails of the Sea + Barkbados PNP Expansion (£6/$8.10). Add a whole new level of game play with this expansion for Tails of the Sea. The distant islands of Barkbados offer great rewards for those who are brave enough to venture away from Paw't St. Bernard. Trade salvage at the Shipyard, buy Blue Prints to build Kennel Forts, embark on a Wanderlust quest and upgrade your ship with more cargo space, sails and hoists!

Voids 2.0 (£1/$1.35), 1-12 players, ages 6+. A modular, fast-paced card game where quick-thinking wins the day! Collect matter from the far corners of the galaxy and fill the Wormhole at the centre before the ever increasing Voids consume the board and the galaxy collapses! Play solo, as a team or in competitive mode to collect cards and bridge, boost and warp your way to victory. Will you play it safe or push your luck?  The more cards you play, the more Voids appear...so choose your path wisely! Board Game Geek 7.3/10
 

Attack of the Intergalactic Gherkins White Box PNP + 2 Expansions (£2/$2.70), 1-6 players, ages 8+. Having been set-upon by the terrifying Intergalactic Gherkins, you must assist the hapless astronauts rebuild their spaceships and return home to earth. Collect the missing ship parts and rebuild your spaceship before returning home - easy right? Well that would be true, if it weren’t for your fellow players employing cloaking devices and meteor showers amongst other things...and that’s before we even mention the Gherkins! Board Game Geek 7.9/10

Anxious Unicorns Poop Gold PNP (£1/$1.35). A hilarious lightweight word game ideal for parties and gatherings. The game is for 2-6+ people, ages 6+ (with some help) and takes 15-30 mins. Build the funniest sentences to score the most points and perhaps you will be the Perceptive Wombat that Takes all the Radishes!

GHOATS! PNP, 2 Players, Ages 6+. FREE. For too long the Great Mystic Goats of Bleakbleat have sat by as evil claimed their land. Their beloved forest has been turned into a dark haunted place where only terrifying Ghoats roam and now the unthinkable has happened... Billy the Kid has been lost, swallowed up by the forest! As a powerful Mystic Goat, you must use your psychic powers to enter Bleakbleat Forest, find the clues left by Billy and be the first to rescue him. You can only hope he has found the one remaining Glade in the centre of the forest to shelter in!

Timeline

All of the files and testing on the game is complete. Game files will be emailed out to the email address provided to Kickstarter in the week following successful funding of the campaign.