Sherlock Holmes: The Card Game

About this board game

Sherlock Holmes: The Card Game is a 3–8-player card game with an approximately 60-minute playing time, released in 1991. Featuring illustrations from the original novels, it evokes a chase through Victorian London as players work to unmask Moriarty and other villains.

Players draw and lay cards in a specific sequence: Movement, Location, Info, Action, Detectives, and Villains. Each sequence can build a story of investigation, such as taking a train to the Country, finding a clue, and using a Disguise.

The game also gives players ways to interfere with their opponents. Inspector, Arrest, and Alibi cards can be used against other players, adding card-driven surprises to the pursuit.

• Play cards in a six-part sequence.
• Use locations, clues, disguises, and detective cards during the chase.
• Play Inspector, Arrest, and Alibi cards against opponents.
• Finish the game when an Arrest successfully reveals a Villain, or when a player discards their last card.

Play ends in one of two ways. An Arrest can successfully reveal a Villain, or a player can discard their last card—a Villain—allowing that Villain to Escape.

Scoring is based on the cards remaining in players’ hands. It also considers whether a player is the arresting or guilty player and is caught with a Villain in hand, giving the final reveal and the cards held at the end an important role.

With its sequential card play and literary Victorian setting, Sherlock Holmes: The Card Game presents a compact pursuit of clues, disguises, detectives, and villains. It was re-implemented by I Say, Holmes!.