Trick Stakes

Two roles, one race, one whip.

In Trick Stakes, you don't just ride the race — you bet on it too. Each round you take the reins of a different horse, and each round you decide where to put your money.

The trick-taking is strict: follow the colour that was led, no excuses. But the Whip card turns a colour into trumps at the moment of your choosing — for your own triumph, or for someone else's. Because the odds move every time a horse pulls ahead, and the horse everyone backed at the start is rarely the one that pays.

Back the wrong horse and you walk away with nothing. Back your own too openly and the table rides against you. With three players, a phantom jockey joins the field and keeps everyone honest.

Why we love it

🐎 You ride and you bet — winning the race isn't enough if your money was on the wrong horse.

🎯 Odds that never sit still — each horse's payout shifts as the race unfolds, so the early favourite can turn into a bad bet.

🥇 One whip, one moment — the Whip card decides the trump colour. Play it too soon and you hand the race to a rival.

Designer: Susumu Kawasaki

Illustration: Wanjin Gill