Description

A trick-taking game based on the 'Dick Tracy' comic strip. The 35-card deck is divided into three "Gang" and three "Detective" suits, each of a different color. The Detective suits are numbered 1-5, while the Gang suits are numbered 1-6. There is also one card each of the Gang Boss and Dick Tracy, each worth 15 points.

Object of the game is to take as few tricks of Gang suits as possible, while avoiding the Gang Boss and trying to get the Dick Tracy card.

The Dealer starts by dealing a "Mystery" hand face down in front of him, which will remain until the final trick has been played. Dealer then deals six cards to each player, three at a time. Each player looks at his cards and discards two. This continues until only the Mystery cards remain undealt.

Player to the Dealer's left leads by playing a card, then each player in turn must play a card of the same color (suit) if possible, otherwise he may discard any card. Highest suited card wins the trick. A player who cannot follow suit may play the Dick Tracy card on any Detective suit and win the trick; likewise the Gang Boss card wins any Gang suit trick. The player who wins the trick leads the next one. If a player leads with either the Dick Tracy or Gang Boss card, players may discard any card in their hand.

The player who wins the last trick collects the Mystery cards. Players then count all the Gang cards in their possession and score two points for each one. The player holding the Gang Boss card adds fifteen to their score, while the player holding the Dick Tracy card subtracts fifteen. Game ends when one player reaches or exceeds one hundred points, and the person with the lowest score wins.

—user summary