CRIME CLUB CARD GAME
for 2 to 6 people

Invented by the popular
Novelist and Broadcaster,
LAURENCE MEYNELL,

the Author of
"Strange Landing,"
"The Evil Hour”
Etc.

The pack consists of 53 cards made up as ' follows: —

THE GAME

The object of the game is to dispose of the cards in your hand and to collect as many counters as possible while doing so. This is done by :—

(a) Committing a Crime

(b) Arresting a Crime

(c) Declaring a Posse of Inspectors.

(d) Founding a Police College

(e) Exposing a Nest of Criminals.

PLAY

To discover the dealer, shuffle and deal out the cards face upwards to each player until a criminal appears ; this player becomes the dealer for that round. The player on the left of

the dealer will afterwards deal for the next game.

Each player is dealt six cards face downwards ; the top card when the deal is finished is placed face upwards beside the stack of undealt cards which is placed face down in the centre of the table.

Play commences by the player on the left of the dealer picking up the exposed card, or the top card of the pack. He now disposes of any cards he can—by Committing a Crime, Declaring a Posse of Inspectors, Founding a Police College, or Exposing a Nest of Criminals. He then discards one card, face upwards alongside the centre stack. In turn, the other players play in the same manner, except that they may be able to "arrest a crime" committed by an earlier player.

Committing a Crime

To commit a crime a player must have : the suitable criminal, the appropriate motive, and the right opportunity.

Thus, if a player has the three cards :—

"Gentleman Jim"—(criminal)
"Love of Money"—(motive)
"The Open Window—(opportunity)

He can (when his turn comes) put them down face upwards and say :
"I commit Housebreaking," since each of these three cards, criminal, motive, and opportunity is appropriate for this particular crime.

It will sometimes be possible for a player to have the choice of committing one of two (or more) crimes. Thus with the cards: "The Limehouse Kid," "Greed," "The Empty Street," he might commit either a smash and grab raid, or bank hold up. It is immaterial which he commits ; he will only be paid tribute once for any three cards ; but note that when these three crime cards are exposed they can be arrested for any one of the crimes of which they are capable.

Master criminals, Master motives, and Master opportunities, can obviously be used for any crime.

"Arresting" a Crime

When a crime has been committed any player, in his turn, may arrest it by laying down :—

A Chief Inspector

A Police Constable

And the clue appropriate to the crime or a Master clue.

The "Crime" and the "Arrest" cards are then turned face downwards and put out of the way. No set of three cards can be arrested more than once. A player cannot arrest his own crime.

Special Hands

1. Three C.I's may be laid down simultaneously as a posse of Inspectors.

2. Six criminals may be laid down simultaneously as a nest of criminals.

3. Similarly a player may "found a police college" by putting down six P.C.'s simultaneously.

These hands are exceptionally rare and valuable. (See Penalties and Payments).

End of the Game

As soon as any player has disposed of all his cards, the hand ends.

All the rest of the players are then bound to pay him the total value (this value being reckoned according to the table of values) of the cards still remaining in their hands.

Note. If the player has the appropriate cards, he can dispose of six cards at one turn, e.g., by committing one crime and arresting a committed crime, by committing two crimes, or by arresting two crimes.

Penalties and Payments

a. The winner of a hand is normally paid the value of the cards remaining in the other player's hands.

However, if he wins by exposing a nest of criminals, or establishing a police college, he is paid double.

b. On committing any crime a player is paid one counter as a levy from every other player.

c. On arresting a crime a player is paid two counters by way of grateful tribute from every other player.

d. On declaring a posse of Inspectors a player is paid tribute of three counters from every other player.

TABLE OF VALUES

All Ordinary Cards

All Master Cards count 10 points each.

Each C.I. and P.C. count 4 points each.