Winner’s Circle

About this board game

Winner’s Circle is a horse-racing and betting game for 2–6 players, with three races played in about 60 minutes. Players wager on several of seven horses, then try to build the most money by the end of the competition.

Each horse has its own level of strength, but no contender can be dismissed: even the weakest horses may produce an unexpected burst of speed. Before every race, players place their bets and decide whether to help their chosen horses—or compete with one another for the best result.

During a race, players roll the die and choose a horse to move from those that have not moved during the current turn. The horse cards and die share four symbols, creating the game’s distinctive movement mechanism. Since the seven horses begin on separate starting spaces and the circuit is oval, the race quickly develops into a crowded contest for position.

• Three races: Bet before each event and pursue the highest total winnings.
• Seven variable horses: Different strengths meet the possibility of dramatic bursts of speed.
• Position matters: Horses cannot share spaces; if a move reaches an occupied space, the horse returns to the last available space.
• Pace chip: The first horse to pass space 18 claims it and can receive a higher payout if it finishes in the top three.

Winner’s Circle also includes a secret-betting variant. Players may use a 0 betting chip to bluff, alongside the basic game’s 1, 1, and 2 betting chips, adding another layer of uncertainty before the race begins.

Originally released as Royal Turf and later published as Winner’s Circle by Face 2 Face Games in 2006, this updated edition reissues Knizia’s Turf Horse Racing with refreshed graphics.