LONG SHOT: THE DICE GAME (2022)

PLAYERS	TIME	DESIGNER	PUBLISHER
1-8	25 mins	Chris Handy	Perplext

In LONG SHOT, players don’t play as the jockeys but instead as the punters lining the trackside, placing bets, and hoping to make more than they put in.

But unlike a real horse race, players have a few tricks up their sleeves to manipulate the outcome.

A turn sees the active player rolling two dice. One selects a horse for that round, while the other dictates how far it moves.

All players then take the horse number and use it on their dry wipe betting board. They can add money to that horse. They can add a to be pulled along a time it comes up (a sort of slipstream mechanic). Or they can give themselves the opportunity to bet later in the race past the ‘no bets’ line.

But the most fun comes from the concessions. They mean nothing on their own, but when a row and/or column of four are completed, it gives players a one time bonus.

This ranges from more money and free bets, to making horses go forward.

Or even backwards!

Some players may not enjoy it though. I can be very luck dependent, and at almost no point can you call a race. Players can manipulate and the dice can be cruel, and while the horse you invest in might streak ahead, they can just as easily get stuck for the rest of the game.

However, there are betting odds on each of the eight entrants, with the pull mechanic favouring the cheaper horses, but giving a lesser pay out if they win.

Oh, and did I mention that you can also buy a horse?! Get it across the line on the top three and take home prize money.

Over all this is a fun Roll ‘n’ Write that can be easily taught, and plays well from 2-8. If not taken too seriously, LONG SHOT: THE DICE GAME is great fun. It’ll have players cheering a horse one minute, and cursing it the next.